Angler reaction to new FLW Outdoors logo policy
Rose, Morgan and Meyer chime in
It’s no secret within the bass-fishing industry that FLW Outdoors has grappled with the issue of logo usage for some time. A delicate balancing act exists between giving the anglers an opportunity to support themselves while respecting the interests of FLW Outdoors’ family of sponsors at the same time.
With that in mind, FLW Outdoors recently issued its 2011 policy, and shortly after the announcement was made, FLWOutdoors.com contacted three prominent FLW Tour pros to get their reaction to the modifications.
“I think the changes are huge. Upper management at FLW has listened to the anglers, and now they’re making a conscious effort to allow us to promote our sponsors. I think I speak for all the fishermen when I say `thank you.’ We’re definitely progressing in the right direction.
“We understand that FLW can take up every inch (of logo space) if they want, but they’ve recognized that there has to be a balance, especially given the current economy. For example, Strike King has been a loyal sponsor of mine for years. In the past, their exposure was limited on the final day. But now FLW is permitting me to wear a Strike King jersey on TV during the final day, which allows me to promote a great company in our industry. Again, I’d like to commend FLW for giving us some freedom and space – that’s all we’ve ever asked for.”
“To be honest, I’m kind of caught by surprise. Once I heard Walmart was back in, I just assumed the logo rules would stay the same. It’s definitely a positive stride.
“I’m proud of Trish Blake and Kathy Fennel for listening to what we as anglers need to make it work. Times are tough, and you’ve got to have some outside support. We as anglers are a piece of the puzzle, and all the pieces have to be in place for it to work. Timberghost, my primary sponsor the last three years, would benefit from having their logo on TV. It’s not perfect, and believe me we’d still like to run our own boats on the last day, but the changes will help.”
“I think it’s definitely a big step. This will help convince a lot of on-the-fence companies to get involved in the sport, especially the tackle sponsors.
“Jackall is a main sponsor of mine, and they’ve always liked the exposure they get the first three days, but they didn’t receive TV coverage. Now I’ll get to wear my Jackall jersey on the final day. This will go a long ways with them and hopefully with other companies as well.”