No more WBT

[RockvilleMDAngler]

As someone who is a fan of Indycar racing and has followed Danica's career before she even broke into the major leagues of racing a few things must be realized when making comparisons.

1. Danica is competing in a mens sport against a field of primarily men. She's certainly not the first but has easily been the most recognizable female race driver to have competed.

2. Danica drew a lot of attention to herself (she admitted to this) early in her racing career (before she got the Indycar drive) by posing for some rather risque photo's in the mens magazine FHM. She has since followed this up by posing in the SI swimsuit editions.

3. While Indycar racing received attention, which resulted in higher ratings due to her participation along with a 4th place finish in the 2005 Indy 500, ratings have lagged since that first year to the point the Indycar racing series has been delegated to accepting a TV deal on the rather obscure Versus network. The Danica effect is no longer working.

4. Danica has largely dimissed the negative press she's received due to her lack of winning performance and instead, focuses on selling her "Branding". Danica has transcended the sport itself, largely because she hasn't produced winning results and is now cashing in on the celebrity status she's achieved due to her being a female in a male dominated sport.

I think the key here is one word.

SEX

Whether you're talking about how Danica has changed opinions and viewership towards racing or how Jan Stephenson did the same in the 80's in womens golf or even Anna Khornakova in womens tennis, all those women used their bodies to sell interest in their career in a sport they were participating in that normally didn't draw a lot of attention before

I'm afraid unless somebody shows up and pushes the envelope as far as using the sexual aspect of their personality, aka an Anna Khornakova of bass fishing, nothing will change as far as perceptions towards womens bass fishing or women in bass fishing.

Great points!

Marcia I have read all your posts on this topic and I respect your passion; however, it appears as though you are so involved in the WBT that you see more interest in the WBT than actually exists. The WBT had a niche market and did not receive enough exposure to break out; however, bass fishing in general does not receive that much exposure. The people who follow the WBT are going to the events and are showing you the support but there aren't thousands of them at home who care but don't go.

If BASS tournaments were in prime time and guys like KVD were household names throughout the US then a WBT would have a much better shot. The reality is that there is a passionate group of people who love fishing and follow the pros and are willing to get up on a Saturday morning to watch but they are not enough to get ratings in the primetime spots let alone support a women's tour. If you asked 100 random people who KVD was you would probably get 10-30% of the people who knew (not necessarily followed) who he was depending on the area you question. Since fishing means so much to those of us on this site we tend to surround ourselves with like-minded anglers and assume that more people are familiar with this stuff but that really isn't the case. The vast majority of tackle and boats are purchased by Men, these same men support the men's tours by buying advertiser's products but they buy them because the BEST ON EARTH are using it and winning with it. Why would these same Men watch a tour where the competitors are not as good (not trying to knock Women anglers but the Elite Series guys are the cream of the crop pulled from a larger pool of anglers who compete at many different levels while the WBT was struggling to get enough women to even sign up) when he can just as easily dedicate his time to follow the elite? If I am buying tackle do I want to buy the stuff that let KVD win or the stuff that let Kim Bain Moore win in a smaller field?

If you were a tackle manufacturer in a tough economy would you want to support the Elite guys who have the attention of 88% of the tackle buying public or support the Women's tour that might get the attention of 12% of the tackle buying public? My wife is a d**n good angler and she fishes as a co-angler in my club (and has cashed several checks) but she is not as passionate about fishing as I am, she uses the gear I buy and watches the fishing shows I watch. I would wager that a majority of female anglers are the same way.

Sure a properly supported Women's tour might get the attention of more Women and cause more Women to buy tackle and boats but it has not been a hobby that Women have traditionally been active in. It would be a big risk for any group be it ESPN, FLW, Ranger etc. to dedicate the funds to try and get more women to become boaters and anglers especially in this tough economy. The WNBA exists solely because the NBA is (actually was) so profitable that it could lose money on the WNBA and actually net profit because of the tax savings caused by the WNBA losses. Should a generation of young girls grow up watching the WNBA they may create a profitable market years down the line, but this would not be possible without the NBA paying the bill. NBA owners were fine with the tax savings and the possibility of an ROI years down the line but now that NBA owners are struggling the WNBA is barely breathing. The same is true with BASS except that BASS was not exactly printing cash like the NBA.

I agree that the Elite guys should not fish in the Opens. The waitlist is still long because there are enough people who want to be pro anglers. While it sucks that not everyone gets the chance to fish the Opens I don't think it is a result of sexism it is just a numbers game. There are more men applying! I am sure that with enough persistence and skill anyone no matter the gender could get into an Open and fish their way to the Elite series. I wish you the best of luck with your fishing career and with your passion I think the sky is the limit!

[bocraw]

Admins--Is there a problem with the site? I was reading a thread on the WBT and then someone posted a picture of Danica Patrick. After seeing that picture all I saw was "blah blah blabbitty blah blah blah". I wonder what happened?

[Grey Wolf]

Admins--Is there a problem with the site? I was reading a thread on the WBT and then someone posted a picture of Danica Patrick. After seeing that picture all I saw was "blah blah blabbitty blah blah blah". I wonder what happened?

Hormones !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fishing Cowgirl]

Not surprising. Nothing but a money waster for ESPN/BASS.

Did anyone (other than participants) even follow/care about the WBT?

I cared, I had hopes to participate in it when I retired.

I am rooting for Pam during the Classic.

I'm one of the gals who bought the boat, have no problem fishing our local tournaments with the guys, even if its bymyself when Hubby can't get off work. I'm interested in seeing who will start up a women's tour.

I drive him crazy on the weekends to get up early to go fish.. ;D

[Fishing Cowgirl]

Admins--Is there a problem with the site? I was reading a thread on the WBT and then someone posted a picture of Danica Patrick. After seeing that picture all I saw was "blah blah blabbitty blah blah blah". I wonder what happened?

LOL ( I used to look like that at her age, my husband says I still do, I sure do love him!)

[FishinTN]

I'm with nitro, I'm just your average weekend fisherman, and I'd be tickled to have a pro go to the lake with me and teach/school me on the water male or female. There's lots of big bass in KY lake, they just hide well from me. ;D I was surprised to hear this though, I thought the WBT was doing well. Maybe BASS will have a change of heart next year if they catch enough grief over this???

[Dan:]

If sports that have high numbers of participants like women's basketball and soccer can't make it then I don't see any way that women's bass fishing can succeed.