James RickardHappy birthday B.A.S.S.
August 23rd 2007 01:33
Forty years can be a long time or a short time. You have to consider the time span to how it relates to the situation to which it is applied. While you ponder that, let's wish a Happy 40th to the organization that helped launch professional angling--B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society. In March of 1967 Ray Scott (not the American sports commentator) was on the road, felt like watching some TV and found a basketball contest. As the game progressed, an idea blossomed. Why not fishing? Thus was born the B.A.S.S. concepts of ethical angling, conservation, and safety with a healthy dose of competition thrown in. Things progressed quickly and by June B.A.S.S. sponsored its first competition--the All-American Bass Tournament.
An interesting side note is that the first champion, Stan Sloan, while winning a trip to Acapulco, won a purse of only $2,000 which contrasts sharply to today's winners who get a six figure prize. While this may pale in comparison to MLB or NBA salaries, one must remember that this is only one tournament and notoriety usually brings endorsements and such visibility brings added paychecks. Although the first place winner of the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, Boyd Duckett, won a cool $500,000 the second place finisher won only $45,000. Sill, that's a heckuva lot better than poor Stan because the last place finisher this year still got $10,000!
In 2000 B.A.S.S. got a much needed shot in the arm when its program BASSMASTERS moved to ESPN2.
Realizing that watching anglers fell just ahead of chess matches on the excitement scale, the powers that be at both ESPN and B.A.S.S. decided to "sell the sizzle" instead of the steak. While coverage of competitions remained a primary mission, side stories often focused on marketable personalities such as the "bad boy" Mike Iaconelli, or "Mr. Clean" Kevin VanDam.
Professional fishing gained more impetus the following year when B.A.S.S. was purchased by ESPN. Network officials moved B.A.S.S. activities to ESPN2 and it was off to the races as both "The Duce" and angling gained popularity. Coverage of fishing events expanded until BASSCENTER debuted on ESPN2 in 2005. With the ESPN style of coverage, BASSCENTER borrowed the "CENTER" from SPORTSCENTER as well as its theme music.
2005 is also notable for another reason. A record LOW was achieved by Bassmaster Champion Kevin VanDam. In the three day tournament held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he amassed a total fish weight of only 12 lb. 15 ounces. By comparison, at a four day tournament in 2007, the total was 122lb. 14oz.
2007 has also seen a big leap forward for female anglers. Although women only tournaments have existed for some time, this year saw the inaugural Women's Bassmaster tour which was won by Pam Martin-Wells.
AND we still have a few months left in 2007. What can happen in a little over three months? Who knows? The first tournament went from only an idea to fruition in less than three!
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
Ray Scott
An interesting side note is that the first champion, Stan Sloan, while winning a trip to Acapulco, won a purse of only $2,000 which contrasts sharply to today's winners who get a six figure prize. While this may pale in comparison to MLB or NBA salaries, one must remember that this is only one tournament and notoriety usually brings endorsements and such visibility brings added paychecks. Although the first place winner of the 2007 Bassmaster Classic, Boyd Duckett, won a cool $500,000 the second place finisher won only $45,000. Sill, that's a heckuva lot better than poor Stan because the last place finisher this year still got $10,000!
In 2000 B.A.S.S. got a much needed shot in the arm when its program BASSMASTERS moved to ESPN2.
Mike Iaconelli
Kevin VanDam
Professional fishing gained more impetus the following year when B.A.S.S. was purchased by ESPN. Network officials moved B.A.S.S. activities to ESPN2 and it was off to the races as both "The Duce" and angling gained popularity. Coverage of fishing events expanded until BASSCENTER debuted on ESPN2 in 2005. With the ESPN style of coverage, BASSCENTER borrowed the "CENTER" from SPORTSCENTER as well as its theme music.
2005 is also notable for another reason. A record LOW was achieved by Bassmaster Champion Kevin VanDam. In the three day tournament held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he amassed a total fish weight of only 12 lb. 15 ounces. By comparison, at a four day tournament in 2007, the total was 122lb. 14oz.
2007 has also seen a big leap forward for female anglers. Although women only tournaments have existed for some time, this year saw the inaugural Women's Bassmaster tour which was won by Pam Martin-Wells.
AND we still have a few months left in 2007. What can happen in a little over three months? Who knows? The first tournament went from only an idea to fruition in less than three!
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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