Source: bassfan.com
After several tumultuous years, the sport of bass fishing this year underwent a makeover at its highest levels. Charlie Evans is out at FLW Outdoors, replaced by Kathy Fennel and Trisha Blake, who share marketing and operations oversight. And BASS now belongs to three investors – Don Logan, Jerry McKinnis and Jim Copeland.
FLW Outdoors has already instituted changes. Walmart and its vendors and back in the sponsor fold, the logo policy was revised, and the league in general is listening very closely to its constituency.
The BASS sale closed Monday and sweeping changes have yet to unfold. There was a move by the new ownership to revamp Bassmaster Classic qualification – a move that’s not popular with Elite pros, but will likely endear allegiance from lower-level competitors – but for next few weeks or months, at least, it’s business as usual at BASS.
The industry nonetheless astir in the wake of the sale. From anglers to manufacturers to PR folks and advertisers, there seems a renewed energy – a desire to ride the wave of optimism created by both leagues in the closing half of this year.
BassFan spoke with several individuals about the BASS sale. Each has a stake in the league. Here’s what each had to say.
Ray Scott – BASS Founder
“This is a happy day for me, to say the least. When I handed the keys over to that next party years ago, there wasn’t as much fishing in that new ownership as I’d have liked. At this moment in time, with the three gentlemen who’ve taken ownership, I couldn’t have had a happier day. Heck, I couldn’t sleep the night before the sale closed I was so excited. They’re bass-fishermen.
“I fished one time with Don Logan on my lake, and he’s a good stick – a good fisherman. I’m sure Jim is as well, although I personally don’t know him. And Jerry has the passion of fishing within him. I still remember back to that campfire at Table Rock in early May of 1967, with Jerry, Glen Andrews and I and a couple of other gentlemen, when we were soberly talking about what this could all be if we could get some kind of organization going. It was just kind of dreamy talk then.
“The thing that makes me happy as heck is the Federation Nation. It’s the heart of BASS – like the organ in the human body. It’s the heart and heartbeat of this organization. In every little crossroads town in America there’s a BASS member, and in many there’s a BASS club. That club is the neon sign in a dark night telling everybody who we are and what we are. And I want every BASS member to read this and say ‘Amen,’ because BASS is back in business like we were before, Federation included.
“I’m also happy (the new owners) announced up front that they were going to remake the Opens and turn the lights back on there. Those guys that can win those Opens – they’re rank-and-file members. They can get in that tournament and can be the Classic winner. They don’t have to be born of royalty or something.
“I’ll tell you, BASS’s brightest days are ahead and (yesterday) was probably the happiest day I’ve had in a long, long time to see this thing finally go down. BASS is alive and well and will continue to grow not only in members, but in its meaning for existence.”
Jeff Kriet, Pro Angler
“I think it’s a good thing and I’m pretty excited about it. McKinnis is the perfect guy to get it. Not that ESPN was all bad, but I think they’d seen about all the bass fishing they wanted to see. McKinnis is someone who really cares about the sport and he’s the one who put the TV show on the map and made it what it is. I think he’ll try some interesting things and maybe we’ll all like them, and maybe we won’t. What we know is that his best interest is with us.”
Rick Pierce, Head, Bass Cat Boats
“I’m excited for the future. I feel like the new owners will try to grasp competitive angling at the top end, but above all that, they’ll be able to energize the 530,000 BASS members we feel have been overlooked by the corporate scenario in the past, and assist that growth in anglers coming up.
“That’s what we’ve overlooked. We’ve worried about 100 anglers, but Bass Cat Boats and the industry need to be worried about the other 529,900 people that are BASS members. That’s important for BASS, and that’s not necessarily the Federation, although the Federation is going to be able to take a major role in this. But it’s important that we energize those who aren’t even Federation members. Hopefully we can bring them to another level too.”
Denny Brauer, Pro Angler
“It’s a good thing. Only time will tell what changes are going to transpire, but I have a good feeling. I’ve known Jerry for a long time and I know he has the best interests of everybody at heart. Still, that doesn’t mean that all the decisions are going to be liked by everybody, including me.
“We all thought the sky was the limit when ESPN bought BASS and it didn’t turn out the way we’d hoped. A lot of times change is good – you need fresh ideas to move the sport forward. The last few years I’ve felt like it’s stagnated, if not moved backwards. But a lot of that has had to do with the economy – you need dollars to do anything, and those dollars have been hard to come by.”
David James, Field Promotions Manager, Rapala
“At the close of the tournament year, and especially for the last few seasons, there’s been an uneasy sense of wonder about what was to become of both BASS and FLW. The inclusion of Walmart again on the FLW side and the purchase of BASS by Mr. McKinnis and his partners are both pumping fresh optimism and enthusiasm back into the circuits. Perhaps this will redirect some of the negativity we’ve seen over the past few years into the ‘glass is half full’ approach we all need to be successful.
“It’s been said, but we need to be patient and look at the big picture. There are some good things happening in the industry right now. The BASS anglers, from the bottom up, have commitments from a legend in the sport and two highly successful businessmen. And those on the FLW side have assurances from Walmart and Irwin Jacobs. No one’s abandoning these circuits or anglers, which is a true blessing to anyone with the dream to be Bassmaster Classic or Forrest Wood Cup Champion. They’ve made a huge investment and we owe it to them to have faith in the end result.”
Tim Horton, Pro Angler
“I think we need a change. I think ESPN lost interest in owning it a couple years ago, and the new owners have the passion for fishing that’s paramount for ownership. If you don’t feel that passion, then it’s hard to understand how to sell it. That part I’m excited about.”
Jeff Stone, Senior VP, Skeeter Boats
“We’re very much involved with BASS and have been for many years, and this is a very positive step for bass fishing. We definitely recognize and appreciate the contributions from ESPN to our sport over the last 9 years, and we think going forward BASS will have the best of both worlds. It’ll continue to be involved with ESPN programming, which is a major benefit, and the new owners will have an excellent understanding of the business side – the personal side that’s so important in our great sport of bass fishing. That’s a very big plus in this change of ownership.
“We also feel very comfortable that these new owners will take BASS forward progressively and the bottom line is BASS will continue to be the leader as the undisputed authority of bass fishing. So yes, we’re very excited about this change and we look forward to working with the new owners, and feel the coming year’s going to provide an increase in our business and participation. Fishing and boating continue to grow every year, and we think the new owners will definitely contribute to that.”
J Todd Tucker, Pro Angler
“I think it’s wonderful. It’s a breath of fresh air, for sure, just having BASS back in the hands of people who are passionate about our sport. But just like whenever a new head coach takes over a football team, I think you need to give them a couple or 3 years to make things happen. As fishermen, I know our ideas will be well-received by the new owners and the negativity needs to be limited.”
Alan McGuckin, Marketing Official, Dynamic Sponsorships
“I’m a people person. I think in this industry, and in most industries, foundations are built on people. I think Jerry’s definitely a people person, so my spirit’s rejuvenated about the future, knowing Jerry and his partners will make the human-relationship connection to the anglers, the sponsors and all the people involved in this sport and who depend on this sport to make a living. That’s just an intuitive feel I have.
“A lot of what goes on in our business is almost an intuitive art. It’s not just all calculated economics and financial decisions as much as it’s an intuitive art for what works and doesn’t work. I think Jerry has that. And it’s exciting to me that, from everything I’ve learned, the three owners have skill-sets that complement each other extremely well. Collectively, they’re exactly what we need going forward.”
Stephen Browning, Pro Angler
“I’ve been excited about Don, Jim and Jerry purchasing BASS from the start and I feel now it’s time to start moving forward. Everybody’s been at such a standstill, not knowing which direction things were going to go. It’s time to get everybody working together to achieve some goals. No. 1 would be to get the membership back in line and get BASS rocking and rolling like it was in the old days.
“The bad thing is it’s probably going to take a while to get everything changed over and running smoothly. Jerry’s discussed getting a multiyear plan in front of the anglers and letting them discuss it, and hopefully we’ll see that by the first of the year or shortly thereafter. It’s refreshing to have what I consider open ears – they each want to hear from the anglers and the membership about how to grow BASS and grow our sport.”
Chad Morgenthaler, President, PAA And Pro Angler
“It sounds like the three new owners have a tremendous amount of experience and the ability to develop plans that’ll grow the sport and benefit all anglers. It’s not surprising that they’ve put an emphasis on the Opens, and I hope that continues because that’s a great platform for guys to get to the Elites, although I’m still waiting to see what their plans are for the Elites.
“They get the idea, and now it’s time to follow through and start building to get this thing to where it needs to be. Hopefully we can work together going forward to create opportunities for as many anglers as possible because there’s a tremendous number of anglers out there right now who aren’t getting opportunities. Hopefully they’ll bring all their business knowledge and past experiences into play. They seem to have the financial means and the media background to move this thing wherever they choose.”
Scott Montgomery, VP, Big Bite Baits
“We’ve been very interested watching the rumors and finalization of the BASS sale from the sidelines. We don’t know any of the new owners, but they appear very intelligent and successful. With their experiences and resources, they probably have a very good plan about what they want to do and in what directions they want to take the organization. BASS and its properties have a lot of influence on the bass-fishing market, so hopefully this new direction will be positive for the whole industry.”
Greg Vinson, Pro Angler
“I feel like it’ll be a good thing. I don’t know Jerry personally but I know his background in the industry, in media and in fishing in general, and I know the new owners are fishing fans. They’ll have an interest in the grassroots, and being a pro, all of us were at that point at some time during our career. I just feel like they want to do what’s best for fishing in general.
“I’m also excited that the TV show will still be on ESPN – that’s an outlet with a type of exposure that couldn’t be replaced. I think it’s a good combination and it may work out really well.”
Shaw Grigsby, Pro Angler
“There are a lot of positives to having Jerry McKinnis in there – he has so much knowledge of the whole system that includes the sponsors and the anglers. And the crowd he’s with – nobody knows media and TV better than a guy who ran Time Warner. It’s an exciting time and I look forward to seeing what happens next.”