Fishing Tourney's and the Economy

[Texas Transplant]

Just finished reading several stories on BassFan. Congrat's to Greg Hackney who recently won the FLW Cup. Noticed that a number of Elite Pro's (including Mike I.) had been fishing and competed in the Cup. I haven't followed tourney fishing that much either this year or last.



Anyway, the real reason I posted on this subject, was the article and likely upcoming changes to FLW Tourney's. WalMart is probably going to scale back their commitment to the FLW significantly. As reported on BassFan, rumors were very strong, and the WalMart presence and comments from the Weigh In Stage during the Cups, was reduced drastically. From the article:



Several background happenings have fueled the talk. Specifically:



> There's no Beaver Lake Tour stop next year (and as yet, no announcement of a Walmart Open).



> Walmart has drastically reduced its fishing-tackle retail space and inventory in stores.



> Walmart president and CEO Lee Scott retired earlier this year. Scott forged the partnership with Irwin Jacobs and FLW Outdoors in 1996 that marked Walmart's first national sponsorship and began the explosive growth in pro fishing over the following 10-plus-years.



Without WalMart $$$, I imagine that it will be pretty difficult for the FLW to continue all of the programs, that they currently support.



Tex

 

[john allen2]

the rumor is cabela's picking up where walmart left off..

 

[David Massey]

I live in Washington State and the past couple years they had an FLW Western Division tournament on the Columbia River. It was announced that due to the lack of participation(ie incoming revenue) they will not be returning for the 2010 season.

 

[Texas Transplant]

Interesting note that it might be Cabela's. Strong company.



Tex

 

[Herndonpro]

I read the other day that Cabela's had just reupped with BASS, so I don't think the FLW thing is likely.



HP

 

[Texas Transplant]

I 'believe' what they re-upped for is the Casting Kids sponsorship. Nothing on the 'Tourney Sponsorship Pages' about Cabela's.



Tex

 

[Greg J.]

Walmart has drastically reduced its fishing-tackle retail space and inventory in stores.

That's for sure! Our Walmart has reduced their inventory significantly, unless you're looking for catfishing stuff, and I don't catfish.

 

[Greg Meyer]

None of the major big box sporting goods stores are doing that well. A lot of rumors float around. Don't count any chickens or sponsor dollars until they appear on the table.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Just saw this on BASS FAN.....



FLW sues Evinrude 8/11/2009

FLW Outdoors issued a press release today to announce it has filed suit in a Minnesota state court against Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), parent company of Evinrude outboards.



According to the release, FLW Outdoors alleges that Evinrude failed "to pay its agreed upon sponsorship fees for the entire 2009 FLW Outdoors tournament season," and FLW Outdoors has paid nearly $100,000 of Evinrude contingency bonuses to competitors without recompense. The release also noted: "In nearly 15 years of business and tournament operations, FLW Outdoors has never had to sue a single sponsor for failure to pay their sponsorship fees."



FLW Outdoors chairman Irwin Jacobs stated in the release: "FLW Outdoors has had a long-term sponsorship and working relationship with Evinrude as a premier sponsor of FLW Outdoors and its tournaments. In 2009, FLW Outdoors received confirmation from Evinrude officials both in writing and verbally that Evinrude had agreed to the continuance of their sponsorship with FLW Outdoors at about the same level of sponsorship fees for 2009 as they had in 2008.



"FLW Outdoors has fully supported Evinrude's sponsorship throughout the 2009 FLW Outdoors tournament season," Jacobs added. "Evinrude has enjoyed all of the same contractual marketing commitments that FLW Outdoors supported Evinrude with in 2008, including, but not limited to, substantial onsite space for displaying and marketing their products at all tournament locations; Evinrude engines installed on half of all FLW Outdoors/Ranger stage and tournament boats throughout all tournaments; signage throughout all FLW Outdoors tournament locations; television commercials on all FLW Outdoors television programming worldwide; magazine advertising; Internet marketing and advertising; and heavily-promoted Evinrude on all marketing materials and advertising as part of FLW Fantasy Fishing, an international game worth $10 million in cash and prizes. Yet Evinrude has refused to pay FLW Outdoors any of the amounts it promised as consideration for those benefits."



About the payment of contingency bonuses, Jacobs stated: "Not only are we terribly disappointed in the fact that Evinrude hasn't paid any of their agreed-upon sponsorship fees for 2009, but they also haven't paid any of the committed contingency dollars on behalf of their Evinrude pro staff anglers through the 2009 FLW Outdoors tournament season. FLW Outdoors has advanced on Evinrude's behalf almost $100,000 to those Evinrude Pro Staff anglers who had cash commitments from Evinrude based upon their performance this season. To date, Evinrude hasn't reimbursed FLW Outdoors a single dollar for the money that FLW Outdoors advanced on its behalf to the Evinrude Pro Staff anglers."



Although the release referenced the $100,000 total figure for contingency prizes, no money totals were given for the sponsorship package.



The news shocked a fishing industry that's struggling to survive the turbulent economic climate. The boat and motor market has been particularly hard hit and Jacobs, in June of this year, elected to take his boat-manufacturing company, Genmar Holdings Inc., into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.



Although FLW Outdoors and Genmar are by law separate companies, Jacobs serves as head of both, and BRP/Evinrude is listed as a creditor in the Genmar bankruptcy. It's not known whether that bankruptcy filing might be related to Evinrude's alleged failure to pay FLW Outdoors. However, FLW Outdoors alleges that Evinrude failed to pay for the current tournament season, which began in January of this year, whereas the bankruptcy filing did not occur until 2 months ago.



BassFan has not yet been able to reach Evinrude representatives.