This changes everything.. Hard to see the dark side is!!!!!

[Kenneth Brown]

KABOOM!

New FLW Outdoors Series,

$2 Million Championship



Tuesday, October 11, 2005













(Editor's Note: Moments ago, FLW Outdoors released details of its new FLW Series. Coverage of this breaking story will continue. What appears below is the press release from FLW Outdoors, reprinted verbatim.)



In a move designed to meet the needs of professional bass anglers in a rapidly evolving marketplace, FLW Outdoors has announced a new companion circuit to the successful Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Named the Wal-Mart FLW Series and launching in March 2006, the new circuit features five $900,000 events that qualify anglers for a new, no-entry-fee $2 million championship that will debut in 2007.



The new FLW Series will allow anglers to use their own boats on all four days of competition. Every tournament will feature an accumulated weight format with 200 boats fishing days one through three and the top 10 competing on day four. The winner will be determined based on total weight from all four days, and every tournament will have a 12-day off-limits period prior to practice days. Entry fees are $2,750 for pros and $650 for co-anglers.



On the exposure front, every FLW Series tournament will be televised nationally on FSN (Fox Sports Net) as part of the

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Oh Yeah... There's somebody at BASS going, "Man why didn't i think of that?"

 

[Bill McElroy]

This is HUGE!!..LOL.....BASS/ESPN is probably holding a closed door meeting right now!!

They just got their arsses kicked AGAIN!!!:lol:

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Mac, The Irwin method is looking better all the time!!!!

 

[Bill McElroy]

It's easy for him to look good when ESPN makes themselves look so bad!!:blink:

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Really, FLW has ALMOST created the perfect tour... All you had to do was listen to the people, not the pocketbook... Irwin will get his in the long run.

He changed the one thing i hated about the FLW.. that was control over sponsors logo's

 

[Jim B]

I really like this "The new FLW Series will allow anglers to use their own boats on all four days of competition"



I always wondered what incentive a boat maker had to sponsor somebody if they werent allowed to use thier own boat??? I think this might open some doors for lesser known anglers to get a boat deal becuase the boat company might actually get some exposure.



And this one is great. a little dig at BASS????



"One hundred entries in the 2006 FLW Series have been reserved for pros who competed on the 2005 Bassmaster Tour. "

 

[Texas Transplant]

Well, it certainly is some very interesting information.



Couple of things to point out. For those BASS pro's that do want to fish for the increased and expanded payout that the BASS tourney(s) offer, having another choice really won't mean that much.



For those that do not want to fish the BASS circuit next year (or don't have the money), it certainly offers another avenue and opportunity.



And it is certainly nice that the pro's get to use their boats on all four days. I don't think their new package offers much in Television exposure. Their current TV product is pretty bad anyway, and does not really get the veiwership - at least now.



And here is one of the big items that BASS pro's have been asking about for years. Smaller fields. It's what the pro's have requested repeatedly. This does not answer that at all. Another 200 boat floatilla competing for money. Although their money is nice, let's also remember that 75% of the anglers fishing in this new tourney, get NOTHING.



As was said above, not any dark side to this. Postive for the anglers, no doubt.



Of the $900,000.00 purse, $680,000.00 of it comes from the anglers entry fees.



For the 100 FLW pro's that will be eligible, didn't their expenses just double?



It will be interesting.



Tex

 

[JAMES MOORE]

OOUCH!!!! That's going to hurt.

 

[Texas Transplant]

Sponsor's logo's:

Only FLW sponsor logos will be allowed on clothing for day four.

They will still have complete control when the TV is on.



Tex

 

[Texas Transplant]

No. Their coverage is fairly well limited to the last day. They have limited camera facilities and production ability. You can pretty well know that they are not going to devot camera time to non-affiliated logo's/sponsors.



I'm pretty certain (strictly opinion), that FLW (read Irwin) checked with their regular sponsors on this before announcing it. I'm sure that they wanted assurance and input.



Tex

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

WOW - their own boats and an off limits period (wonder how many FLW pro's won't fish it because of that) Remove the sponsor clothing limits and it would be perfect - but there is no rule about what can be on the boats that they will be fishing out of.

There's a whole lot of shakin' goin' on.

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

It seems to me that BASS and ESPN better get their act together.



Bill

 

[Bill McElroy]

Velcro....I think a lot of the current FLW pro's will be STOKED about the new off-limits rule...their biggest issue regarding that in year's past was the fact that there wasn't an off-limits period and some guys were pre-fishing for weeks on end!! I think the off-limits is GOOD and the vast majority of pro's will applaud it!!



Tex,...the FLW Pro's don't have to fish both of the FLW trails,....but I bet most will. Even at @ $27,500 if they fished all 10.......it's still 1/2 of the required entry fee for fishing BASS and they don't have to deal with all of the boat wrap and clothing issues. If a Pro makes the cut on the 4th day,...he/she can still use his/her own boat and the only compromise they have to make is the jersey!! I gotta believe that their "other" non-FLW sponsors will be thrilled with their performance and certainly won't make an issue about the jersey...especially when t hey know going into it,..that's the way it is. Besides....those individual sponsors can promote that win all they want in their own media outlets....you just won't see their logo on the FLW magazine cover!! LOL (They'll live with that...trust me!!)

 

[Texas Transplant]

It will be interesting to say the least. Some of Bassfan's comments/opinions are interesting (they are up now).



I still believe (as I posted on BFHP), that this effectively KILLS the PAA. This is not the PAA tour. And now, they won't be announcing one. I believe this really is Irwin's chance to take another stab at securing some additional names/talent, and also kill off the PAA in the same stroke.



And again, as I have said before. The sponsors will generally determine who fishes where.



Tex

 

[Bill McElroy]

Another thing I noticed,.....the pro's don't have to fish all of the FLW events if they don't want to,...but to fish the Elite trail...you HAVE to fish all 11. I think we're going to see a lot of the BASS/ESPN gang "headin' on down to the WalMart!" LOL

 

[Kenneth Brown]

The PAA is an independent alliance of anglers, they joined forces to have a voice, a say in what direction their careers are heading.

I personally don't think that is Irwins intent at all.. He cannot kill something he cannot control or manipulate. they simple wanted a trail that fit their needs... did the FLW come up with one... only time will tell... this ain't over by a long shot.

KB

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Going to interesting at least, the PAA just had there meeting with FLW last week? Now a new "Series" not tour, not trail. If you take what the PAA wanted and what BASS was offering, this is a pretty good compramise? Watch the rules change now.. Even espn is makeing the nascar/bass comparison, but I am thinking more like cart/irl (if you own the tracks you make the rules)



BF

 

[Jim C]

Are you still allowed to use your own boat in the championship?

 

[Ken Neeley]

Are you still allowed to use your own boat in the championship?

Yes...it was discussed above several times....own boat, FLW approved shirts.

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

Mac - I think the off-limits is a good idea to level the playing field - my comments were about that handful that spends 3 weeks on each lake, they will not be able to compete if you take that away. That was one of the main complaints the FLW tour pros had.



Apparently the PAA has worked. While they were meeting with BASS in public, apparently there were lots of meetings with FLW privately. FLW gave them a tour that is a lot closer to their ideal than BASS did.

 

[Bill McElroy]

Totally agree!!