What is up with BASS?

[sirmo]

Disney does run the show, but that doesn't mean E.S.P.N. and B.A.S.S. get unlimited money to make bad decisions.

[Chug Bug]

Good post mattfly.  I think there are too many aspects of BASS for everyone to be on the same page as far as a thread goes.  The tour, The pros, the federation, the magazine, the website, the T.V. shows, the sponsors.  I don't tourney fish, nor do I belong to any local clubs, so I can't speak to the BFL, FLW, or ABA.  The magazine and membership benefits sucked in 91 and they suck now.  Unless you are a teenager or pre-teen, I'm not sure what demographic the television shows are aimed at.  MUDDY was right when he posted about the WWE.  There is a suspicious WWE aspect sneaking into the BASS associated shows.  It won't be long before the pyrotechnics are bigger, and the angler in the hot seat delivers a fake slap-blow to the upper chest of whoever takes his weight.  Then a crowd of pro anglers can gather on either side and pretend to hold the two combatants back.  Then the weigh in microphone can be stolen by an angler with a low weight and he can use his best cookie monster inspired voice and "call out" the winner for the next tournament.  I for one think the only thing that BASS has done is give a false sense of hope to thousands of kids who think they are going to be pro anglers.  Just browse the "resume" section of this board for a few minutes... pathetic.

[kickbasskid]

bass saturday is on on ESPN2 from 7-11 am.

[Guest avid]

Just as an fyi.  you can get a subscription to bassmaster on ebay for peanuts.  I have a two year subscribtion that cost me 8 bucks total.  It comes faithfully every month.

Like anything on ebay you have to be careful, but mine worked out great.

PS.  I like bassmaster. It is only about bass and thats all I care about.

[Sam]

Just to clarify the statement about what Ike did at the Classic he won in Louisiana, it was ESPN that asked him to break dance for the cameras.

Ike told us this at the Virginia Bassmaster University after he won the Classic.

And yes, Bass Saturday is on ESPN2 on Saturday mornings.

It is my humble opinion (IMHO) that B.A.S.S. is in the process of reinventing itself.  My only hope is that the ESPN and B.A.S.S. executives understand what we are seeking and need and not put something together to suit their "city slicker" needs and not for bass fishermen.

All we can do is stay tuned and see what happens.

[BD]

They did the city slicker thing already sam........it's called rods and wheels.

The city lawyer and the rough military guy.........yeah the movie city slickers comes to mind.

[Pa Angler]

I think BASS made a mistake when they went to the new Elite format and the $5,000 entry fee before all you had to be to fish a tournament was be a BASS member and pay the $1,200 fee it would be like a vacation for the weekend angler fishing alongside the pros. BASS has lost some big names to the FLW because of the change Larry Nixon for one. Bassmaster is not what it once was I have been a member since 1996 and have seen a change. BASS INSIDER has been a waste of money for me and I think a lot of members have seen that as well and the cancelation rate must be high when my current subscription is done I'm done.

BASS wanted to be more like NASCAR is ridiculous it has been the weekend angler that has brought BASS to where it was before the Elite format. Although the pros were asking for the Elite series it may have become a double edge sword.

In my opinion ESPN will spin off BASS and BASS will be in for some difficult times if it has to stand on it's own also I believe BASS already has peaked and is in decline unless they do something now to be financially solvent.

Just my .02.

Chow

[Matt Fly]

They did the city slicker thing already sam........it's called rods and wheels.

The city lawyer and the rough military guy.........yeah the movie city slickers comes to mind.

Why does BASS get blamed for what ESPN airs? Charlie Moore sells his taped shows to ESPN, Jerry McKinnis sell his old reel to reels to ESPN and BASS gets blamed.

Since when does a kid aspiring to be a pro fishermen hurt anything. False hope??? Thats a stretch, thats like saying POP WARNER football gives kids false hope to become a pro football player, less than a percent will ever play pro.      

Lots of people doomed the ELITE series before it got off the ground, and what we saw this year was some good fishing, records being broken, and go back and look at past tournament threads on here, and see just how many guys started FLW threads during the tourneys.

I believe BASS dominated all threads, and should be given credit for lots of other topics.      Ish's Tora Tora tubes. Swim baits on tour. Every time BASS aired, numerous topic arose from BASS event and hardly any FLW topic came from the other "guys".

Actions speak louder than words, and BASS is still our topic of choice over FLW.

Whats up with BASS? I'd say they still got everyones attention.

I'd say that most are reading the magazine, other wise, how do you base your decision that the magazine is a rag today if you haven't looked at one or two to base your opinions on. Someone must be getting the Magazines for you to look at to base it on. Thats just funny, either you read it and spoke up, or you spoke up and don't have a clue.

Matt.

[Chug Bug]

They did the city slicker thing already sam........it's called rods and wheels.

The city lawyer and the rough military guy.........yeah the movie city slickers comes to mind.

Why does BASS get blamed for what ESPN airs? Charlie Moore sells his taped shows to ESPN, Jerry McKinnis sell his old reel to reels to ESPN and BASS gets blamed.

Since when does a kid aspiring to be a pro fishermen hurt anything. False hope??? Thats a stretch, thats like saying POP WARNER football gives kids false hope to become a pro football player, less than a percent will ever play pro.      

Lots of people doomed the ELITE series before it got off the ground, and what we saw this year was some good fishing, records being broken, and go back and look at past tournament threads on here, and see just how many guys started FLW threads during the tourneys.

I believe BASS dominated all threads, and should be given credit for lots of other topics.      Ish's Tora Tora tubes. Swim baits on tour. Every time BASS aired, numerous topic arose from BASS event and hardly any FLW topic came from the other "guys".

Actions speak louder than words, and BASS is still our topic of choice over FLW.

Whats up with BASS? I'd say they still got everyones attention.

I'd say that most are reading the magazine, other wise, how do you base your decision that the magazine is a rag today if you haven't looked at one or two to base your opinions on. Someone must be getting the Magazines for you to look at to base it on. Thats just funny, either you read it and spoke up, or you spoke up and don't have a clue.

Matt.

Another good post MATTFLY.  However the Pop Warner Football statement is a very poor analogy.  I don't know of any kid who became obsessed with professional sports by playing little league as a youngster.  What draws inner city kids to believe that they can become pro basketball players?  Rap Music, and flashy, media savvy players who tout the enormous amounts of money they earn.  Professional bass fishing is slowly doing the same for caucasion suburban kids.  Do you really believe that the large number of kids that post on this site about how to become sponsored or believe that they will turn pro obtained this obsession from fishing a few times a week?  Or did they get it from the pyrotechnics at the televised weigh-ins, the fast boats with the flashy wraps, and the shirts emblazoned with sponsor adds?

It's simple, and easy to see from a sociological standpoint.....Mike Iaconelli is to white country kids, what Allen Iverson is to black city kids.

[floridabassboy]

I always used to love bass saturday

    R.I.P

[Lane]

We live in a ever changing world, and that includes the mega corporations in angling

like BASS, FLW, PURE FISHING, PRADCO, and the list goes on and on! But the CORE

of the tournament angling world is the individual angler. As one poster stated, "GRASSROOTS".

The pros formed the PAA (Professional Anglers Association), because THEY are the

HEART and SOUL of professional angling. I know alot of weekend anglers that do not

fish BASS or FLW, and they are able to finance their love for the sport or passion without

the big boys. Some even make a nice little profit to boot! Smaller sponsors get more bang

for their buck!  They don't care what BASS or FLW is doing, or not doing.

Media is even changing! I can now watch the, "Bass Professor" on my computer whenever

I want! I can even choose what episode I want to watch, and save parts of the show that

have useful tips for future reference. It is the wave of the future.

YOU ARE WHAT MAKES THE SPORT, NOT BASS OR FLW!  Maybe that is why our little business

has been around for 16 years. It is the individual angler that supports this industry! Just my

02 cents for what it's worth.

[fish-fighting-illini]

Update,

I can't comment on the health of BASS overall but I did read in a fairly recent issue of Bassmaster magazine that one of the BASS fishing shows is the highest rated show on ESPN2. I can't picture ESPN letting BASS fail completely. If nothing else maybe it bodes well for a fishing show staying on ESPN2  ????