HAHAHA Cabela, If you read "bassmaster" It shows that Luke Clausen wanted in on Elite Series. There was an article last may or april issue that he wanted in on the Elite Series and when he won the classic he got an automatic bid to fish the Elite Series.
If Clausen never wanted in on the Elite Series why would he try to qualify for the classic and win it or do well enough to qualify for the elite series? He try to reserve a spot in the Elite Series before the classic, but he was too late and field been set, but when he won the classic he got an automatic bid. Then he back out went back to FLW because of "tennis elbow injury."
It Obvious that FLW wants someone like him to stay on their tour rather then fish both. I bet you, if you take the top BASS guys and top FLW guys. BASS will destory them to pieces.
I cant prove he got paid by FLW/Chevy to stay on FLW tour, but it obvious. He back out of Elite Series saying he had tennis elbow injury and couple weeks later he was fishing the FLW tour. Sounds obvious to me. He really wanted in on the Elite Series.
I think main reason why the old school stars like nixon, cochran, etc. Left BASS because BASS was becoming a young gun tour, guys like Ike, Swindle, KVD, Monroe, etc are starting to be the main guys on BASS. People want to cover them more then anyone eles now.