James RickardThe FLW--those other fishing guys
March 19th 2008 00:34
Sooner or later later, the question comes up, "What's the deal with the FLW and B.A.S.S.? Don't they both fish?"
It's like Ford or Chevy; Coke or Pepsi. Everyone has a favorite.
The FLW is named for Forrest L. Wood, the founder of Ranger boats. While it is true that the FLW has bigger payouts, it comes at price. Although sponsorship accounts for much of an angler's income, any FLW angler making a media appearance must wear FLW approved apparel which means sponsor logos are absent from their boats and clothing. However, you do see a lot of hype for Wal-Mart which is a major sponsor of the FLW. (That also goes a long way in explaining why Wal-Mart has so much fishing equipment!)
It's possible that you've never heard of the FLW unless you have American cable TV and Fox Sports Net. Therein lies one of the big differences between B.A.S.S. and the FLW. While B.A.S.S. is affiliated with ESPN the "World Leader in Sports," the FLW is affiliated with a string of regional sports channels. Even though FOX devotes an hour each week to tournament coverage and the FLW has negotiated for other television rights, it's hard to compete against ESPN.
Could you look at the FLW as an "upstart" league? Although they have done much to increase anglers' paydays, B.A.S.S. hasn't been in existence long enough to adequately assess the impact of the FLW. Conversely, some say B.A.S.S. is surging ahead as evidenced by the recent increase in tournament winnings. Others say the increase has been necessitated by the FLW's hefty payouts.
Will the two merge into one large organization ala the NBA and ABA? Only time will tell. Until the issue is determined, it can only benefit the anglers' wallet.
On the other hand, Major League Baseball is doing just fine with the National and American Leagues!
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
It's like Ford or Chevy; Coke or Pepsi. Everyone has a favorite.
The FLW is named for Forrest L. Wood, the founder of Ranger boats. While it is true that the FLW has bigger payouts, it comes at price. Although sponsorship accounts for much of an angler's income, any FLW angler making a media appearance must wear FLW approved apparel which means sponsor logos are absent from their boats and clothing. However, you do see a lot of hype for Wal-Mart which is a major sponsor of the FLW. (That also goes a long way in explaining why Wal-Mart has so much fishing equipment!)
It's possible that you've never heard of the FLW unless you have American cable TV and Fox Sports Net. Therein lies one of the big differences between B.A.S.S. and the FLW. While B.A.S.S. is affiliated with ESPN the "World Leader in Sports," the FLW is affiliated with a string of regional sports channels. Even though FOX devotes an hour each week to tournament coverage and the FLW has negotiated for other television rights, it's hard to compete against ESPN.
Could you look at the FLW as an "upstart" league? Although they have done much to increase anglers' paydays, B.A.S.S. hasn't been in existence long enough to adequately assess the impact of the FLW. Conversely, some say B.A.S.S. is surging ahead as evidenced by the recent increase in tournament winnings. Others say the increase has been necessitated by the FLW's hefty payouts.
Will the two merge into one large organization ala the NBA and ABA? Only time will tell. Until the issue is determined, it can only benefit the anglers' wallet.
On the other hand, Major League Baseball is doing just fine with the National and American Leagues!
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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