What is the sponsor agreement with BASS

[Barry Loos]

How does this work? We kicked this around in another post but I'm getting more confused. I watched the Elite 50 in Alabama on ESPN2 yesterday and I saw Kevin Van Dam wearing his Nitro Shirt but using a Triton. Tommy Biffle was wearing Ranger logos and also driving a Triton. I know that Triton is the official boat of everything and when it comes to "Air Time" the guys have to use Triton, but how did Dean Rojas get by using his Skeeter? Do they only provide Tritons for the top 5? Whatever the reason, Rojas got Skeeter a lot of "Air Time". The more I think I understand the more confused I get.



Da Bear

 

[Tony Payne]

I thought Skeeter was also a sponsor last year (during the E50)...



I personally think the sponsorship thing, to a point, is bogus... they shouldn't be able to dictate "TV Time" to primary sponsors... not from the fishermans perspective... from a commercail/banner thing, sure... but not on the pro's.



Pros should be able to use what they consider to be the best... and have the "option" of using the sponsor available stuff.

 

[Bill McElroy]

In 2004 Skeeter and Triton were co-sponsors,.....and I think in 2005 Triton is the sole boat sponsor for BASS. You probably saw KVD in the BPS wrapped Triton. (BPS is a sponsor of the E50's...and since Kevin can't use his Nitro in the finals,...he would be assigned the BPS wrapped 'Triton) The whole "wrapped boat" concept is in turmoil right now....lots of write-ups and pro's/editor's opinions regarding that topic on BassFan....check out that site for the scoop.



Mac

 

[Brian Bell2]

Bear,

2 great articals everyone should read, thanks for the heads up..



Here are links if anyone is interested:



http://www.bassfan.com/insider_article.asp?id=192



2 More realy good articals for those wanting to turn pro:



http://www.bassfan.com/insider_article.asp?id=189



http://www.bassfan.com/insider_article.asp?id=190



http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=1187

 

[Barry Loos]

Thanks for the insight guys. This is really sort of a mess.



We need to have a "Dance with who brought you" policy with the boats. This is still the sport where a man (or woman) can have and use exactly the same products as the pros. If my favorite fishes out of a Nitro, I want him always in a Nitro. If a pro makes it to the "Big Dance" maybe they should get the option of using their sponsor's boat instead of a boat who's manufacturer is sending the biggest check to ESPN.



Of course I remember over twenty years ago a little grumbling about having to use Rangers at the Classic. This grumbling was small because Ranger did so much for the sport and so many guys fished Rangers anyway.



Oh well the Marketing folks have a better idea of what we want than we do.



I'll shut up now and go read the articles that Brian provided.



Thanks again



Da Bear

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Triton isn't paying any of KVD's bills, that's the rub. The only payoff to sponsors (who are paying KVD's bills) is some air time and one of the biggest sponsors is your boat sponsor. They deserve the air time not Triton (unless that is the pro's boat sponsor).



IMHO>>>>>>>



TOXIC

 

[Texas Transplant]

KVD is sponsored and paid by Nitro - though I'm certain that Triton would love to land KVD as a pro. I'm also pretty certain that BassPro can offer KVD a 'package' (including tapes, brand recognition, etc.), that Triton would not be able to offer.



One big item that I think is very positive, is that KVD (and the other pro's), don't have to wear the duct-tape shirts/hats that they are foreced to wear on the FLW circuit. He may be fishing out of a Triton, but will still have his Nitro shirt on. After all, on the tube, it's probably more important what's on the shirt - you generally don't see the boat that much anyway.



Tex

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Mountain Man, maybe you don't see Triton but what do you think NITRO sees? You got it.....Triton. Their paid pro in a Triton. NITRO $$$ goig to a talking head that has to fish out of a Toon. Any way you slice it, NITRO comes out a loser. Shirt's don't mean squat!! If it's got a BPS wrap the they are happy. Tracker Marine and BPS are seperate companys.



TOXIC

 

[TrepMan]

I do find this interesting, I wonder how come Ford/Chevy/Mercedes (remember they own Dodge) don't force in NASCAR everyone to drive one brand in the big race??

 

[Barry Loos]

Well after reading some of the articles on this topic, many of the pros are concerned about their financial future. They complain, and I agree, "It will be difficult to get a non-endemic (not in the fishing business) sponsor and then tell them they probably won't get tv time." They gave the example of Flowmaster dropping out and where is Chevy going? Denny Brauer said some of his reliable endemic sponsors have change on the horizon. The marketing folks said the sponsors will be there for guys that are the complete package to sell their product. Hell an old guy like me would have a package just right to be sponsored by AARP and Preparation H.



Triton owns the TV time and they own lots of pros who won't intentionally upset their sponsor, so this will continue to work the way BASS/ESPN wants it.



Trep made a good point. Could you imagine Daytona this year, when everyone has to drive a Ford?



I guess the boats will start having to look like stock cars with a million sponsor decals on them.



Oh well, the boys sure can fish and it is still fun to watch. I hope for their sake they get the financial woes fixed.



Da Bear

 

[Gene B]

I think the boat sponsorship should be like NASCAR. Drive what you want. Triton should be treated like any auto company, and have t.v. commercials that say Triton the official boat of B.A.S.S. Just my .02 worth.



Gene

 

[Barry Loos]

That's a creative insight Mini to a complex situation. I am sure there are enough manufactureres that want to play in the big events that would be happy to pay their share of sponsor money. If we had a half dozen or so boat sponsors, then at the Big Events the sponsors could put their Pros in some nice rigs and show their pro in their boat.



I also agree with on the wraps. So of the wraps are ok and some are dirt ugly but most are distracting. By their inherent design, bass boats are beautiful. Some of the wraps take away that beauty and really diminish the brand of boat. Of course the pros can get some serious bucks ($50,000 to $150,000) for the wraps and they don't want to turn that down. That kind of money can make a season.



Da Bear

 

[Barry Loos]

Mini:



Just quoting from the article at:



http://www.bassfan.com/insider_article.asp?id=192



"I think overall, for the majority of the field, not a lot of people would have the know-how to sell a wrap-boat package," Kevin VanDam said.



Brauer noted, "The reality is not everybody will get those types of deals."



Davis thinks "about half" the field could land a major non-endemic deal.



Still, wrap boats present a sizable bag of grapes to anyone fishing the Tour. "You look at some of the wrap boat deals these anglers were getting and they ranged from $50,000 to $150,000 a year," Horton said. In an era when most pro fishing contracts are miniscule in comparison to other sports

 

[Barry Loos]

Mini:



10-4



Da Bear