Whats your take on the future of BASS and Professional bass fishing?

I usually just read here, but Ill jump in on this one…BASS needs an entire overhaul from top to bottom.There is so much opportunity for sponsorship and technology…..Just thinking about how the last classic was covered on the internet… it was a joke..There is no good reason why the classic is not covered live, and done well.My wife and I are friends with an elite fisherman and his family and know college families who have their kids fishing..We all know of the dedication and sacrifices it takes from the fisherman to compete and there is no shortage of that.Bass fishing should be a major sport in this country, and BASS needs to step it up.Seems they could use a lesson from NASCAR on how to take the sport to the next level.The current organization is stale.

Ward, I like the ideas but there is a problem with all of this. The different trails are OWNED by some person or business entity to make a profit. It isnt a group of people devoting their time for free to make sport glorious. An over arching authority, maybe modeled on the on the way a college conference is governed, to set up and oversee the sport. You can still have trails owned by someone but not official without accepting oversight. The trails would not have the final word and there would have be authority over all of the trails making sure rules and such are followed. Anglers would have to start on the lower trails and show they are ready for the one above. A number of anglers at each level that dont meet a requirement for that year or break the rules, would be replaced by the highest ranking anglers from the level below. This insures a turnover and gives everyone a chance to get ahead based upon their ability. Sponsorships would have to be earned and anglers expected to help promote the products they sponsor. Make it a true professional atmosphere for all involved. I could lay out more but this is a start. Feel free to tear apart or add to this. Im an old guy and no longer have a dog in this fight.

They need some heavy duty sponsors. HEAVY. Not strike king, g loomis, mercury. Citibank, Apple, GE. Seems that is where golf has them. High dollar tv endorsements. And face it Ward lots of guys love golf but there only so many peckerheads like you and me that like to watch guys like K Pink haul ass up and down the lake 80 mph with his hair on fire and boat flip 6 lb smallies they just dented with a jig while beating on their chests and pumping their arms screaming. Me personally I absolutely love it. Live for it. But my friends think its stupid. Dont know if the interest is there.

ward wrote:Since I derailed another post Ill start anew-As for the Classic- I see it as a problem with the sport in general.BASS just doesnt seem to have or be executing a concise plan for success to meIs the plan a grass roots organization to promote fishing?Is the plan to generate a true sport of professional bass fishing?Whats the plan?I assume its #2 primarily with #1 secondarily so-At this point the current small potatoes approach to use the existing structure of magazines, internet, and the sport as is to make this successful isnt working at all. Stalled.Given how easy info is to get off the internet I personally think that the current plan and parts in place are doomed to keep the sport at best what you see now.Heres my plan- and it involves the whole industry-#1 Got to make it a spectator sport- Derbies are 100 boat with cut to 50 on Sat and 25 on Sunday. TV show on Saturday and Sunday that starts at 1:00. Marshals are the camera guys for now. All boat rides filmed, all fish catches filmed, guys in the truck process from all anglers and make a show like golf- hop to the action. Ive been to an Elite event and there are enough folks standing around with jerseys on already who could handle the camera work if he made em do it.Who wouldnt have wanted to see all the on water fights live? How bout A marts wrecked transom at Erie? Dude sees Palanuik and calls in a protest? Skeet with fish #6 flipping still in the livewell at Wheeler? Oh yeah baby its all Live. Replays a week or so later. Thurs, Fri on web only. Zona wanna have a recap show as they do know that sounds fine to me. BASS is the big boy on the block so I say just go on and steal the MLF format. It will even get rid of competition theyd just assume get rid of. Dont even have to do all the derbies this way. BUT, they have GOT to CHANGE the SPORT at this point and not the payouts or gimmicks or whatever. Thats just a shell game. Folks watch, know you have a product worth selling, and now we do #2 or #3. May not even need #2 if it went well.#2 Got to make the definition of a professional more distinct and the industry has to stop supporting every Tom Dick and Harry as a “pro”. Whens the last time you went to the golfcourse and the local stud was getting clubs at a discount and covered in logos? Much less the guy that cant break 80 with the same? I grew up living on a course playing competitively, even been to the Masters a few times(watching only). Aint no one wandering around saying theyre a pro thats behind those ropes. This frees up money for more substantial sponsorships from all levels. Sure its a free country and I hear that more stuff sold by using local talent but thats just because we let it be that way. I figure theres a fair amount of money in all of these small companies being spread over a large amount of small sponsorships- mostly discounts given but its still money. NOT saying all deals gone but most of em outside the Elites.#3 Gonna have to be a central guiding body at some point. FLW needs to eat BASS or BASS eat FLW or they fuse as AFC/NFC. Then we can have a professional angling association that makes sense.But #1 is the key.To me the sport has to be changed at this point to fit goal #1What say you? Heck maybe no one cares but me? Spot on!!!! Especially Item #1. We need a bit more WWF in a society that thrives for gladiator thumbs up or down entertainment. Now I dont want to see guys taking it to the parking lot . A little less sterile is a good thing.

Agreed that BASS needs to make this a spectator sport in order to grow however I dont think thats gonna happen. When compared to NASCAR, bass fishing isnt. NASCAR has the best of everything…including the track. The professionals need top notch rivers and lakes that cater to the fans watching them. Thats NOT going to happen! The only way to grow is by introducing new members…but really? Not sure about where everyone on here is but I really have a tough time fishing a point or reef while 6 other boats are trying to fish it at the same time here in AZ. Or going down the same bank that 30 other boats have hit already…not fun.Second…to grow…BASS MUST come back out west for their OPENS and separate it from the Northwest to the Southwest. Let me tell you its a biotch to drive from Arizona to the Columbia River for a week of fishing then come back and I tell you in this economy its just not financially smart for us working dudes. There is a TON of talent out here that hasnt been tapped ( but look at the Elites and the west coast boys who have made it Reese, Rojas, Martins, Paulinuk, Yelas, Klein, Murray…and I can go on) and if BASS really wants to grow…they have to put their dues in too. Seriously…Third…they talk about the “grass roots” federation anglers. Really? Then show some frikken coverage of their accomplishments! Ive been lucky enough to make the Federation Nationals 4 times and I can tell you the media coverage of what we accomplished plain sucked!Dont get me wrong…I LOVE B.A.S.S. seriously…I do. When you get to the Nationals or above they treat you like family…then know your name…not a number like their competitor…Kinda like BCB…Hey! Theres a thought…BCB and BASS….HMMMMMM?????Just my two cents which dont add up to much.