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CREWS ANNOUNCES SPONSOR CHANGES
Bass Fan Radio Interview, January 8, 2007
Be sure to tune into tonights live interview on the Bass Zone.
January 8, 2007
Salem, VA It is a very exciting time in my career. Advance Auto Parts is stepping up from an associate sponsor to my premier sponsor. Advance Auto Parts will be the main logo on my boat and tournament jersey in addition to having logos on my truck. We are in the middle of finalizing designs for my boat, truck, and jersey. The theme will be based on Advance Auto Parts red and yellow company colors and I assure you it will be unique and eye-catching!
Along with a new boat wrap, my boat will also be a new brand. It is with great excitement that I announce my new relationship with Bass Cat Boats. Bass Cat and the Pierce family have a long reputation for strong support of their customers and pros. I look forward to being in a Bass Cat for many years. I am impressed with the closeness of the ownership, dealers, customers, and pros at Bass Cat. The owners board on the web site, owners tournaments, and the Bass Cat tournament incentive program are prime examples. Bass Cat is more of a family than just a boat company.
Beginning this year, a new engine will be behind and in front of me. I have agreed to a deal with Mercury and Motorguide. The new Mercury Optimax Pro XS engine really impressed me the first time I drove it at the Pittsburgh Classic in 2005. I have been impressed every time I have driven it since. Motorguide has me just as excited as the Pro XS. The Digital Series is the trolling motor of choice for many pros, especially some of the ones that often beat me like KVD, Skeet, and Swindle. Now, I will get the Motorguide advantage. You cant argue with success.
There is one more major sponsor announcement. Pure Fishing and I have agreed to a multi-year agreement for me to promote Berkley soft plastics, Berkley fishing lines, Abu Garcia, and Fenwick. I am pumped about many aspects of this deal. I grew up fishing Berkley lines and they continue to stay on top of the latest line technology. Berkley soft plastics are adding to their list of stand-by baits and getting aggressive with new designs that are utilizing their pros input. The Abu Garcia REVO is the best new reel on the market. I was super impressed this year with its performance. Fenwick rods are a great match to the REVO reels. Pure Fishing constantly gives their pros what they need to win. That is the type of company I need behind me.
Staying put in my sponsor portfolio are SPRO, Gamakatsu, and Lowrance. Lowrance was my first sponsor and continues to dominate the bass market. SPRO is continuing to be my hard bait sponsor (crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwater, jigs, spinnerbaits). SPRO and I are designing a new shallow crankbait that will be red HOT! The first prototypes are awesome! Gamakatsu also stays on board and they, too, continue to dominate the bass market. All of these fine companies make great products and support awesome people. I feel very fortunate to have an opportunity to promote what I believe in.
My web site will be updated in the next week or two.
Sincerely,
John Crews
Crews news: ‘Cat, Merc 1/8/2007
BassFan previously announced that John Crews signed a sponsorship agreement with Pure Fishing, and there’s more Crews news to report today. He’s undergone a wholesale switch in his boat/motor package, and has stepped up a non-endemic relationship too. Here’s how it shakes out.
This year, Crews will run a Bass Cat powered by Mercury and MotorGuide, which replaces his former Ranger/Yamaha/Minn Kota configuration from years past. And he’s now one of the premier anglers on the Advance Auto Parts team. Advance became sponsor of BASS and Crews last year, but increased its commitment to Crews this year.
“It’s a very exciting time in my career,” Crews said. “Advance Auto Parts is stepping up from an associate sponsor to become my premier sponsor (and) will be the main logo on my boat and tournament jersey, in addition to having logos on my truck. We’re in the middle of finalizing designs for my boat, truck, and jersey. The theme will be based on Advance Auto Parts’ red-and-yellow company colors, and I assure you it’ll be unique and eye-catching.”
About his Bass Cat deal, he said: “Bass Cat and the Pierce family have a long reputation for strong support of their customers and pros. I look forward to being in a Bass Cat for many years. I’m impressed with the closeness of the ownership, dealers, customers, and pros at Bass Cat. Bass Cat is more of a family than just a boat company.”
And lastly, on Mercury and MotorGuide, he noted: “I’ve agreed to a deal with Mercury and MotorGuide. The new Mercury OptiMax Pro XS engine really impressed me the first time I drove it at the Pittsburgh Classic in 2005, and I’ve been impressed every time I’ve driven it since. (And) the MotorGuide Digital series is the trolling motor of choice for many pros, especially some of the ones who often beat me like KVD, Skeet, and Swindle.”
He was formerly a two-tour pro, but will not fish the FLW Tour this year. The move to Mercury and MotorGuide clearly makes him better aligned with BASS sponsors, since both sponsor BASS, as does Advance Auto Parts. Bass Cat is not a BASS sponsor, although Bass Cat head cheese Rick Pierce has stated many times that he prefers his anglers to fish BASS.
Today’s edition of BassFan Radio with Terry Brown features an interview Crews. To learn more about the above sponsorship deals, and the newest member of the Crews family, click here.
Congratulations to all parties involved. Mr. Crews was quite consistent last year. This is shaping up to be quite a team around here…..C.O.D. Jr. III
Rick Pierce:
John makes an excellent addition to our BCB staff. Our goal is to continue to be the company we have been for 35 years, though we must all embrace the younger generation. With John we certainly improve that appeal. He is a high caliber individual with a tremendous amount of character. He fits well into our group of professional anglers. By succeeding in both major tours over a short period of time, he has proven his potential. He supports the high ability level and passion of our staff
Much of the younger generation does not have the historical “Tribal” knowledge of our sport and boats or other items. They tend to only know the recent players and trends, they don’t have knowledge of Dave Fenton. They have not lived the history, nor were they raised in this sport, as Dad, myself and my sons were. This makes adapting to generation Echo and the X generation that much more important for all of us. John will help bridge those gaps.
He is a wholesome individual who brings his A game to the table. We feel John and others will definitely help draw a younger audience. The developing Sabre FTD,is being built for those younger bass anglers. They want a boat that will offer them more in a smaller package, just as many of us did 20 years ago when the 150 engine was so popular.
That is GREAT!!! Congrats John and welcome to the family!!! You are going to love your new ride.
Judd Lasiter
I met John about 4 years ago at the ICAST show, the annual fishing trade show, John impressed me back then and still does. I have followed John each year on the trail and I am very excited to see John running a Cat and a PRO XS! Congratulations to Basscat and to John as well!
Chris Brown
Strike King Lure Company
Fished 1st ever bass tournament, and it happened to be BASS Open on Potomac River about 3yrs ago. While walking back to the ramp after parking the pro’s truck, I was getting little nervous/anxious about the tournament etc.
One of the young angler with BassFan Ranger 520 was walking back to the ramp as well, and we said hellos etc and chatted little about the start of the tournament.
Didn’t have any idea who he was but he was polite to a complete stranger/co-angler, and also noticed that group of people that was waiting for him was polite and nice as well. I just figured that they were his family.
Later, found out that he was John Crews, and I believe he did pretty well in that tournament.
BassCat/Rick, just wanted to say that you picked up one good person/fisherman to represent BassCat well.
Congrats to all parties. This will prove to be a great move for BCB. I had the opportunity to meet John this past summer in Little Rock and he seemed like a very professional and well manored person. His personality and qualities will match very well with Basscat in addition to the other quality companies he is aligned with. He is an up and coming young angler with many successful years ahead of him.
“Welcome to the family” John!
Congrats to John and Bass Cat as well…
We have two more announcements yet to come, and we are working on those releases.
Overall at this time we have 15 anglers in the Elites. The quality is stacked from top to bottom, they are all talented.
BCB
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