New tournament circuit announced today

[redux]

What it tells me is that, despite him being so annoying, Ike has been right for saying BASS is greedy. Being able to toss millions of dollars into the pot to wipe out a large portion (if not all) of entry fees and also increase payouts is very suspicious to me. How long will it last? Did the communication to anglers give any info on that? Would like to have someone post details. I like the BTL guys but would like to read what BASS sent out instead of hearing a summary/interpretation second hand.

This looks likes something they could have done years ago and are only now making concessions to save their BASS. 

I hope the anglers can see past the next 12 months and are not blinded by a minor increase in revenue.

[punch]

If given a choice, I'd still pick the league that's backed by legit billionaires (MLF). Bass could easily go back to their old payout structure after a few years when they run out of money. 

 

Regardless, this is GREAT news for Elite anglers that haven't gotten "the invite" to MLF. 

[Jrob78]

BASS is having their AOY tournament this week. I bet the angler meeting is going to be tense!

[redux]

Just saw Bass Pro has extended/expanded their sponsorship of the FLW high school and college tournament series.

[punch]

http://another site.com/news_article.asp?ID=9370&t=Breaking-Down-The-Dollars-&-Cents#.W6Jmpc5Ki00

 

[redux]

From what the source article says, that BASS incentive is not for everyone so that number is not accurate for all 80 elite qualifiers. Someone with maths should redo those numbers and give an accurate account of what BASS is offering.

 

B.A.S.S. Details

To simplify, entry fees for the 2019 Elite Series will be $43,000 for qualified anglers. If an angler finishes 80th in every tournament next season, he is guaranteed to earn $23,500 ($2,500 per tournament plus a minimum $3,500 at Texas Fest), reducing the entry fee liability to $19,500. In addition, B.A.S.S. will be offering a limited number (possibly 50) of early registration incentives worth $20,000 each, meaning some anglers will have their entry fees covered with a $500 surplus.

[punch]

Yeah, they are dangling a big $20,000 carrot for current Elite anglers not to jump. 

[12poundbass]

Are these confirmed numbers or hear say at this point?

[RichF]

I think it might be time for me to start saving for the Opens...

[redux]

This appears to be coming from public info for BPT and FLW while the BASS info is being leaked from private communications to the elite anglers. And some people are being critical about the BPT selection process. BASS is doing the same thing with keeping things under wraps and offering better deals to the existing elites.

 

BASS has not publicly canceled the CA events either which is odd.

[Troy85]

BASS published this article this morning.

 

https://www.bassmaster.com/news/bass-redefines-professional-bass-fishing-2019-elite-series

 

 

[12poundbass]

28 minutes ago, Troy1985s said:

BASS published this article this morning.

 

https://www.bassmaster.com/news/bass-redefines-professional-bass-fishing-2019-elite-series

 

 

Sounds like a, 'the ship is sinking grab a bucket' article. 

 

I don't blame BASS one bit. They are in the business to make money. My company was giving me 3-5% raises every year because I was content and didn't say anything. We were in a very bad spot with manpower in late winter just before our busy season, I saw an opportunity and took it....and got myself a 20% raise. I don't expect them to give me that kind of raise every year. On the flip side from the sounds of it the angler had been speaking up for a while and BASS didn't listen. I see both sides of this situation. 

[Troy85]

8 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Sounds like a, 'the ship is sinking grab a bucket' article. 

 

I don't blame BASS one bit. They are in the business to make money. My company was giving me 3-5% raises every year because I was content and didn't say anything. We were in a very bad spot with manpower in late winter just before our busy season, I saw an opportunity and took it....and got myself a 20% raise. I don't expect them to give me that kind of raise every year. On the flip side from the sounds of it the angler had been speaking up for a while and BASS didn't listen. I see both sides of this situation. 

I don't think BPT will kill off the elite series though.  In the end I think it will just force BASS to be more competitive with how it compensates its anglers, as is already happening.

As with almost any employer, the best to get better compensation is to get a better offer from the competition.  A Boss I had several years ago, I asked him for a raise multiple times and he always turned me down.  Several months later I found a better job and put in my notice, on my last day he came up to me and offered me a $3 an hour raise, which was more than I had ever asked for in the past.  I didn't accept his offer, he was a horrible person to work for.

[punch]

Quote

Written by Randy Blaukat

 

Like many anglers, fans, media and sponsors, it’s my opinion that the recent announcement of the Bass Pro Tour is probably the most historic single event to ever happen to our sport. Although full details are not clear at the moment, the basic framework sets the stage for the ramifications that this power move by Major League Fishing possesses.

 

First of all, the basic premise of MLF has been around for many years, but never gained real traction until Boyd Duckett and Gary Klein formed the concept. Back in the 1990s, there were a couple of Bassmaster Classics I fished where anglers were trying to organize a boycott of the event in order to raise payouts and have some demands met. It never happened because some of the anglers feared sponsor losses by boycotting.

 

The Professional Anglers Association (PAA) was the next step, and it enjoyed a semi-successful, short-lived run, but never fell into the mainstream or developed significant momentum.

 

In both of these attempts, the goal was the same … to have an organization that would let the anglers have the control, make decisions regarding the tournaments, the rules, the payouts and the flow of sponsor dollars.

What the Bass Pro Tour looks like is still foggy, but the long quest professional anglers have been on to controlling their own destinies appears to have finally began to manifest physically in a real, sustainable way.

My phone has been ringing off the hook this past week, with angler friends from both the FLW Tour and the Bassmaster Elite Series voicing their (mostly angry) opinions. And despite the fact the MLF has come out with the stance that “this is a great thing for the growth of our sport," I can tell you from talking to the guys that not all share in that viewpoint or excitement.

 

For now, I’ll not focus on the potential sponsorship/fan interest losses that other tournament organizations may or may not suffer as a result of so many marquee anglers leaving to fish the Bass Pro Tour, but on the criteria for determining who is given the opportunity to fish it. That is the issue that has the professional angling community in an uproar.

 

Although not set in stone, the consensus of the rumor mill is that the majority of the anglers who received invites were Elite Series pros, with a few FLW anglers mixed in. Why is that?

And here lies the problem.

 

This is MLF’s ball, and they have the right to do what they want in terms of selecting anglers for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But it was my hope that when the day came for an opportunity like this, that the selection process would have been well-defined, clear, transparent and fair … and it has not been.

 

There were not any qualification criteria to be selected as an MLF angler, or to compete on the Bass Pro Tour. It has never been advertised to the public or the angling community. I see this clandestine approach as unjust and unfair to so many anglers in this sport who helped grow it to where it is today.

 

For example, nothing personal against any of the Bass Pro Tour competitors, but how can the Bass Pro Tour justify inviting some little-known Elite Series pros and deny invitations to such legendary guns like David Dudley, Andy Morgan and Bryan Thrift? To not give the icons of our sport the opportunity to compete in this new tour in favor of ones who have only been competing at the tour level for a year or two is simply not right.

 

I realize there are other factors that were probably considered – social media following, demographic appeal, connections, etc. The fail in this approach is the fact that every single angler on tour, regardless of how polished they are, how many Facebook fans they have or who they know, has a personality and abilities uniquely their own. And with that comes a fan base. Regardless of whether that angler wears a flat-brimmed hat or a gray beard.

 

I knew this day would come, and it was my hope that when it did, each angler on the FLW Tour and the Bassmaster Elites would have had the opportunity to sit down in front of the MLF management, be interviewed to be considered a competitor, and present a performance/promotional application.

 

Upon completing the selection process, MLF would make it transparent as to why each angler earned a spot, and make that reason public knowledge. This increases legitimacy and angler/fan respect for the Tour.

In my opinion, it should have gone down like this: Bass Pro Tour competitors were selected on a system that factored in all current FLW Tour and Bassmaster Elite anglers who had the most combined FLW Cup/Bassmaster Classic qualifications, wins, top-10s and all-time winnings, plus social media following. Nobody could argue with anyone who was selected under these requirements.

 

That would form the initial field. The bottom 10 anglers on the Bass Pro Tour each year would lose their spots and be replaced through an MLF qualification system to allow newer anglers to have an opportunity.

Although I don’t see any non-MLF pros or competing tournament organizations directly benefitting from any MLF exposure, I do see this raising awareness for our sport. And in that awareness, it would be my main hope that increased public education of conservation and environmental issues surrounding our sport are brought to light through the proposed epic TV exposure of the Bass Pro Tour.

 

To those anglers out there who may be bitter and feel like they have been left out in the cold, I say this: The opportunities are there, and our sport is big enough for three tours. The potential for non-endemic sponsorships are endless. Each of you have a personality and promotional ability that no other pro can duplicate. It’s uniquely your own, and you all have a demographic fan base. Use that to your advantage.

True pro anglers compete because it makes them feel alive, and part of you would die if you couldn’t compete. That is why so many pros are bitter about MLF – they want to compete, not spectate from the sidelines.

 

Best of luck to MLF. I know many of the people behind this organization and can tell you they are good, decent men.

 

It’s impossible to be all things to all people. Thanks for the change, MLF, because change is good, even if that change is painful for some.

 

 

Read more: http://another site.com/opinion_article/1517/bpt-invite-process-flawed-but-change-is-good#.W6KYU85KiHs#ixzz5RZhBZS00

 

Good article 

[12poundbass]

38 minutes ago, Troy1985s said:

I don't think BPT will kill off the elite series though.  In the end I think it will just force BASS to be more competitive with how it compensates its anglers, as is already happening.

As with almost any employer, the best to get better compensation is to get a better offer from the competition.  A Boss I had several years ago, I asked him for a raise multiple times and he always turned me down.  Several months later I found a better job and put in my notice, on my last day he came up to me and offered me a $3 an hour raise, which was more than I had ever asked for in the past.  I didn't accept his offer, he was a horrible person to work for.

I don't think BASS is going anywhere either, they're just trying to prevent a mass exodus. It'll be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out.

 

 

17 minutes ago, punch said:

 

Good article 

Who is the author?

[punch]

10 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

I don't think BASS is going anywhere either, they're just trying to prevent a mass exodus. It'll be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out.

 

 

Who is the author?

Randy Blaukat 

[TOXIC]

Bottom line, it's an "invitational" tour and they alone decide who gets the invite.  We as fishermen and fans have -0- right to question how and who get's the invite.  Watch or don't watch that's our option.  The world ain't fair and you can't invite everyone or make a process where everyone "interviews" and gets a consideration.  They have an avenue to qualify and they didn't have to even do that.  MLF didn't.  

[punch]

3 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Bottom line, it's an "invitational" tour and they alone decide who gets the invite.  We as fishermen and fans have -0- right to question how and who get's the invite.  Watch or don't watch that's our option.  The world ain't fair and you can't invite everyone or make a process where everyone "interviews" and gets a consideration.  They have an avenue to qualify and they didn't have to even do that.  MLF didn't.  

Good point but seems like the majority of the strife about the selection process is coming from the anglers, not the fans.

[TOXIC]

6 minutes ago, punch said:

Good point but seems like the majority of the strife about the selection process is coming from the anglers, not the fans.

Agreed.  But Randy's article was stressing transperancy for fans and a "fair" process for the Pro's.  My point is just that it's totally up to the organizers on both counts.  We don't know the dynamics between the Pro's and the organizers and it could be petty past disagreements, could be sponsor driven, could be personalities and yes even social media presence.  If the new trail is lucrative then EVERY Pro would want an invite or at least the option to choose!!  And those that didn't get one would be upset.  IMHO every angler in the Elites earned their way there and wouldn't be there if they didn't think they were worthy.  Will be interesting to see how this plays out.  Sure to cause some bad blood.  

[12poundbass]

BPT is taking a big step and asking these 80 anglers to stick their necks out and make a 3 year commitment (from what we hear). To make this viable and not crash and burn within the first few years you need more than just fish catching. In order to do this with a relatively small field there are going to be some good anglers who are left out. There are going to be some less accomplished anglers invited because of their personalities and followings. Let's face it this is a business and people with big followings bring money.

 

Look at Gerald Swindle (I don't know if he's been invited) but he has a ton of fans and has made a great living fishing. He's won 2 AOY but has never won an event. He's managed to stay viable because of his personality. Everyone tunes in to see what G-Man is going to say on the stage.

 

Then there's other guys like Derick Remitz who won a few Elite events and looked to be an up and coming star. He along with others virtually disappeared. He was a quiet guy who didn't have a loud personality like Skeet, Gerald, and Ike. It's a cut throat business where the only way you're going to make a career out of it is sponsors and to get sponsors you have to be seen, if you're not winning on a regular basis. 

 

As far as Scott Martin not getting an invite, that's beyond me. The only thing I can think of is some bad blood, but that's only my assumption. 

 

Just my .02

[Tim Kelly]

Do you think Cliff Pace got an invite? ?

[12poundbass]

17 minutes ago, Tim Kelly said:

Do you think Cliff Pace got an invite? ?

Another great example. ?

[Logan S]

Bad blood or not, it's a little hard to think of it as a performance-based selection with some of the rumors going around about who has and hasn't been invited.  Crazy to think that the #1 ranked angler in the world (Thrift, per BF rankings - which is owned by same umbrella that's behind BPT) reportedly isn't getting an invite.  Also, not to disparage these guys, but some of the original MLF guys that you know will be involved are ranked 80 or lower in current AOY standings (which also means they'd be at risk for not even qualifying next year).  

 

When we see the the full invite list my guess is that it'll be pretty easy to see what kind of qualifications were considered.  Nothing wrong with however they want to fill the field, but it's a fair to be critical of the process if we're looking through the lens of 'top-level professional tour'.  

[Choporoz]

Tough to set an initial field.  Nobody is going to be happy.

 

I'm a little interested in how they do it in successive years.  I like the suggestion in the article above that there's a lower end cut at the end of the year....and ten probably isn't enough.  You can't make top 70% and you're out next year.....not sure how that would work with three-year commitments, but they have to keep the pool aerated

[TOXIC]

17 minutes ago, Logan S said:

Bad blood or not, it's a little hard to think of it as a performance-based selection with some of the rumors going around about who has and hasn't been invited. 

At this point I don't think it is a performance based selection.  If it was they would have requirements and what "Performance" stats they were looking at for consideration.  I think that bottom line, no matter where they are ranked. all the anglers that got invited are "Elite" and "Professional" so there's no way to dispute who got invited.  IMHO.....