BASS Elite Series sqwashes the little guy
I had to wait a couple days till I had cooled down enough to write this entry. Hopefully I don't get too worked up again in the process.
A few days ago BASS announced it would eliminate the Co-Angler position from the 2009 Elite series. Click here for details. Needless to say many including myself are upset with this decision and the reasons are numerous. I will try to list a few.
The Business of Fishing
Weekend anglers are the heart and soul of this sport. Weather the pro's realize it or not, we are the guys they are trying to sell the 18 dollar crankbaits to and the line conditioner and the auto parts..... Now you want to eliminate a huge portion of the fan experience as well as the sponsor exposure. The occasional 5 minute blip on Saturday morning TV cant even compare to spending a day in the boat with someone and PROVING that your sponsors products work or for that matter that you are even using your sponsors products.
The Pro's feel a co-angler can get in the way and that they don't have as much on the line as a pro who is trying to make his house payment. What's next? A pro Anglers Union to "protect the rights of neglected Professional Anglers everywhere". These guys know that they get paid to fish right?
I fished as a co-angler last year on Smith Mountain lake in Virginia. I spent lots of money on fuel, tackle, licenses, the 750 dollar entrance fee, and gas money to the poor pros (Thats right for those of you who have never been a co-angler on the elite series, you have to give Hackney 60 bucks for the pleasure of riding around with him). One of my pros back boated me all day and asked me for tackle without me saying a word about it. I understood that he had to fish his way and I was supposed to scratch out whatever fish I could. By the way, the bank still wanted my house, boat and truck payments when I got home and my check for 24th place was much smaller than the pro's who took 24th.
This change has the real possibility of making it harder for guys to realize the dream of fishing for a living. The Pros already have their sponsors, but these events could really help a young angler attract his or her first sponsors. An opportunity the disgruntled pro's may have forgotten they once needed too. I myself was hoping to fish two of the 2009 events as a co-angler and was planning to use that exposure to help attract sponsorship.
The Nature of the Game
It has been said that the Elite series is the MLB or NFL of fishing. Lets be honest, it isn't and never will be because you cant get 50,000 fans to sit around the lake and watch every cast. The nature of fishing eliminates that possibility. I guess many of the pros forget where they came from. The federation, the weekend series, and most local level tournaments all have the Boater/co-angler aspect of the game. If the Elites are like MLB, then this move by BASS to me is like telling minor league teams they can only use wood bats but the major leaguers all get to use aluminum so they can hit more home runs. Do the guys whining about co-anglers really think this change is going to help them beat KVD? I would be willing to bet he only beats them worse next year. Focus on what you are doing from the front deck, worry a little less about the guy behind you and maybe you will fair a little better.
The Future of BASS
I do not see how this change is going to help BASS compete with the FLW that is coming on so strong. FLW already pays bigger purses. They cover a wider market with salt water and inshore tournament series. They also started a huge push in the fantasy fishing game this year by giving out cash prizes. BASS on the other hand is just throwing away $75,000 in entrance fees from every tournament. Maybe Luke Clausen is the smartest guy out there by jumping ship a couple years ago.
If you have ever gone to an Elite series weigh in, you probably noticed that most of the fans in attendance are family and friends of the co-anglers. My wife, parents, in laws etc would all go to a weigh in to watch me stand up there with the pro's. I know for a fact however that they wouldn't have bothered to fight the traffic or sit in 90 degree heat otherwise.
Small town communities welcome these guys with there big rigs in to utilize their resources. Many of you may not know that these small towns have to pay BASS to come and utilize their fishing resource. The towns obviously get some tourism from the events but it is also a good clean family activity for communities that probably don't have too many entertainment options. Now BASS is saying we want you to pay us to come in and catch your fish but your fisherman cant join us. If FLW asks to come in and allows the local anglers (tax payers) to participate, who do you think local communities will choose? FLW or BASS?
After fishing in Virginia, I received a survey on how the event had been run and how the anglers were to fish with etc. One of the questions was "Where else would you like to see an Elite Series event held?" I quickly wrote down my home town waters of Bay De Noc. I was thrilled beyond words to see it made the 2009 schedule. Thrilled until an hour or two later when a friend told me about the elimination of co-anglers. The joy quickly turned to anger. I know it is a stretch to think my single suggestion brought BASS to Escanaba, but I am guessing it didn't hurt either. Now my parents as tax payers helped pay BASS without the ability to participate in the event. Now I am sorry I filled out the survey at all. Obviously it doesn't matter what the co-angler thinks since they are no longer a part of the future of BASS.
In Closing
If not for the great guys in my federation club and the commitments I have made to them, I would be canceling my BASS membership. I will definitely not be fishing any more BASS events like the Weekend Series or the Opens. I will probably search out more FLW events to fish and definitely renew my FLW subscription. If you have thoughts on this change let me know. Think I am over reacting? Let me know. If you like what I have said here pass it on.
A few days ago BASS announced it would eliminate the Co-Angler position from the 2009 Elite series. Click here for details. Needless to say many including myself are upset with this decision and the reasons are numerous. I will try to list a few.
The Business of Fishing
Weekend anglers are the heart and soul of this sport. Weather the pro's realize it or not, we are the guys they are trying to sell the 18 dollar crankbaits to and the line conditioner and the auto parts..... Now you want to eliminate a huge portion of the fan experience as well as the sponsor exposure. The occasional 5 minute blip on Saturday morning TV cant even compare to spending a day in the boat with someone and PROVING that your sponsors products work or for that matter that you are even using your sponsors products.
The Pro's feel a co-angler can get in the way and that they don't have as much on the line as a pro who is trying to make his house payment. What's next? A pro Anglers Union to "protect the rights of neglected Professional Anglers everywhere". These guys know that they get paid to fish right?
I fished as a co-angler last year on Smith Mountain lake in Virginia. I spent lots of money on fuel, tackle, licenses, the 750 dollar entrance fee, and gas money to the poor pros (Thats right for those of you who have never been a co-angler on the elite series, you have to give Hackney 60 bucks for the pleasure of riding around with him). One of my pros back boated me all day and asked me for tackle without me saying a word about it. I understood that he had to fish his way and I was supposed to scratch out whatever fish I could. By the way, the bank still wanted my house, boat and truck payments when I got home and my check for 24th place was much smaller than the pro's who took 24th.
This change has the real possibility of making it harder for guys to realize the dream of fishing for a living. The Pros already have their sponsors, but these events could really help a young angler attract his or her first sponsors. An opportunity the disgruntled pro's may have forgotten they once needed too. I myself was hoping to fish two of the 2009 events as a co-angler and was planning to use that exposure to help attract sponsorship.
The Nature of the Game
It has been said that the Elite series is the MLB or NFL of fishing. Lets be honest, it isn't and never will be because you cant get 50,000 fans to sit around the lake and watch every cast. The nature of fishing eliminates that possibility. I guess many of the pros forget where they came from. The federation, the weekend series, and most local level tournaments all have the Boater/co-angler aspect of the game. If the Elites are like MLB, then this move by BASS to me is like telling minor league teams they can only use wood bats but the major leaguers all get to use aluminum so they can hit more home runs. Do the guys whining about co-anglers really think this change is going to help them beat KVD? I would be willing to bet he only beats them worse next year. Focus on what you are doing from the front deck, worry a little less about the guy behind you and maybe you will fair a little better.
The Future of BASS
I do not see how this change is going to help BASS compete with the FLW that is coming on so strong. FLW already pays bigger purses. They cover a wider market with salt water and inshore tournament series. They also started a huge push in the fantasy fishing game this year by giving out cash prizes. BASS on the other hand is just throwing away $75,000 in entrance fees from every tournament. Maybe Luke Clausen is the smartest guy out there by jumping ship a couple years ago.
If you have ever gone to an Elite series weigh in, you probably noticed that most of the fans in attendance are family and friends of the co-anglers. My wife, parents, in laws etc would all go to a weigh in to watch me stand up there with the pro's. I know for a fact however that they wouldn't have bothered to fight the traffic or sit in 90 degree heat otherwise.
Small town communities welcome these guys with there big rigs in to utilize their resources. Many of you may not know that these small towns have to pay BASS to come and utilize their fishing resource. The towns obviously get some tourism from the events but it is also a good clean family activity for communities that probably don't have too many entertainment options. Now BASS is saying we want you to pay us to come in and catch your fish but your fisherman cant join us. If FLW asks to come in and allows the local anglers (tax payers) to participate, who do you think local communities will choose? FLW or BASS?
After fishing in Virginia, I received a survey on how the event had been run and how the anglers were to fish with etc. One of the questions was "Where else would you like to see an Elite Series event held?" I quickly wrote down my home town waters of Bay De Noc. I was thrilled beyond words to see it made the 2009 schedule. Thrilled until an hour or two later when a friend told me about the elimination of co-anglers. The joy quickly turned to anger. I know it is a stretch to think my single suggestion brought BASS to Escanaba, but I am guessing it didn't hurt either. Now my parents as tax payers helped pay BASS without the ability to participate in the event. Now I am sorry I filled out the survey at all. Obviously it doesn't matter what the co-angler thinks since they are no longer a part of the future of BASS.
In Closing
If not for the great guys in my federation club and the commitments I have made to them, I would be canceling my BASS membership. I will definitely not be fishing any more BASS events like the Weekend Series or the Opens. I will probably search out more FLW events to fish and definitely renew my FLW subscription. If you have thoughts on this change let me know. Think I am over reacting? Let me know. If you like what I have said here pass it on.
Yes, I think you are over reacting. The number of co-anglers influneced is a blip in numbser compared to internet & TV coverage, while the time in the boat can be more powerful, the $$$ volume is not close.
I know you spent good money to fish as co-angler, so did I, but its peanuts compared to what they have invested, you can still ride along for much less and learn, without fishing. You may actually learn more by being an observer, because you will be watching and paying attention rather then worrying about scraping up a few keepers to win your entry fee back.
Communities fork over plenty of $$$ for the FLW to come to town as well, so that is not a very good point and I would guess the mix of family and friends is about the same at FLW events as well.
Better to take your aggression out on the bass on Tonka this weekend!!!
Tight Lines,
Rich
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That is my point. If I am a community leader and I have a choice between an organization that will allow local anglers to possibly keep a little money in town or one that doesn't, I will choose the one that allows my local anglers to participate. Last I checked FLW still has Co-Anglers. Hence the family and friends in the crowd. Maybe I don't understand what you are saying.
My aggression comes from two places. One is the idea of not being allowed to participate in an event that I truly enjoyed in the past. It also comes from the fact that I think it is a poor decision on the part of a company I thought was superior to it's competitors. I have always felt that BASS had a better "product". The emphasis, though not by much, was more on fishing and a little less on selling boats, candy bars and gasoline. ESPN coverage is better on the events and the competition is less watered down. I think you will see a perpetual decline in the BASS loyalty unless more changes are made within the organization.
As a lifetime member I would have thought you too would be upset over the change. Do they make you sign some sort of gag order with that membership?
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I am a firm believer that having someone else in the boat fishing with you while you fish is an integral part of most fishing and competitive fishing.
I think the decision not to have CO's takes away unique from this pro sport and doesn't really add anything to it. I think if they charge people to be observers than that is nuts. You would be much better off paying a guide for a day if you want to learn something.
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No gag order, I just don't think its that big of a deal. I am a little dissapointed I will not be fishing any more elite series events as a non-boater, but I understand why they went the way they did. If I really want to fish Elite Series events, guess I will have to qualify as a boater
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