FLW’s senior director of tournament operations highlights what’s coming in 2015
A new tournament season brings new challenges, but also new opportunities. In 2015, anglers who participate in FLW events will see changes designed to make the Rayovac FLW Series and Walmart FLW Tour more appealing to the greatest number of tournament fishermen. With that in mind, we asked FLW Senior Director of Tournament Operations Bill Taylor to explain some of the changes and how they are likely to impact the sport, and provide an update on the state of the various FLW circuits.
1. Do you feel that the tournament field for the Walmart FLW Tour will be full soon?
BT: Yes, both sides (pro and co-angler) will fill extremely fast. I encourage all anglers to register as soon as possible on their designated date to enter. With a set field size of 150, the pro side will top out soon after the Dec. 4 non-priority entry date.
2. Why do you think that is?
BT: Simple – we have a great program that offers a great opportunity for many anglers, from pros trying to fish at the highest level to co-anglers who are in it to learn from the best in the business and make decisions about their future.
3. You’ve put a cap on the number of boats in a Tour event, but maintained the payout. How about breaking that down?
BT: We set the field at 150 boats. We’ll pay 60 spots in all the qualifying events. With a full field of 150 we’ll pay a $10,000 minimum through 60th place with a first-place award of $100,000 and up to $125,000 if the winning angler is Ranger Cup-qualified. The Forrest Wood Cup will award the winner an industry-high $500,000, regardless of the boat brand.
4. It seems that a lot more Walmart FLW Tour pros are coming from other circuits such as the Rayovac FLW Series and the Walmart BFL. Do you think that will continue as the High School and FLW College Fishing circuits “feed” new anglers into the system?
BT: I think the future of our sport lies in the hands of our High School and College Fishing programs. I’m seeing several talented anglers come directly to the FLW Tour with great results. Our feeder system is working as planned for not just our anglers, but for our sponsors as well.
5. What has been the general feedback on changes, such as with the co-anglers and the reduction in exclusive sponsorships on FLW’s part?
BT: The reaction to the changes for 2015 has been very positive overall. Sometimes change is hard for people to accept, but most are willing to adjust and give those changes a chance to work.
6. What would you characterize as the biggest change for co-anglers?
BT: The elimination of co-anglers at the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup. However, our plans are to have something in place before then to reward those co-anglers based on their placement in the standings of the qualifying events. It could be something similar to an Angler of the Year payback. We’re still working on how to complete that puzzle.
7. The Rayovac FLW Series seems to be drawing more Tour-level pros. Is that because of the new stipulation that more spots in the Cup will be filled by Rayovac-qualified pros and cos?
BT: That’s a big part of it. An enhanced opportunity to qualify for those additional spots in the Cup is quite an incentive. The Rayovac FLW Series Championship is another door for our Tour pros and others who want to reach the Cup.
8. The Rayovac FLW Series also seems to be attracting more attention because it provides priority entrance into the Walmart FLW Tour. Do you think that trend will continue?
BT: Most definitely. Our long-range plans are to have a very strict qualifying process for the Walmart FLW Tour in place by 2016. With a set field on the Tour, we can make this happen. As it is, the top 10 pros from each Rayovac FLW Series division have priority opportunity to join the Tour. We want to extend that to the top 20 from each division in the near future to encourage more people to enter the Rayovac FLW Series.
9. What do you feel is going to be the biggest home run in regards to the changes to the overall program this coming year?
BT: I think the biggest hit will be the changes to the exclusive categories for sponsor logos. This will allow many more anglers to promote and wear their sponsor logos all four days of the event. We have listened to our anglers and feel this is a very positive move to help brand them in a very competitive marketplace. The other will be the enhanced On-The-Water coverage by our web and social media staff.
10. Are there any misconceptions about the 2015 program that you would like to clear up other than what you’ve clarified above?
BT: The one biggest misconception out there is that FLW will be eliminating co-anglers from the FLW Tour in 2016. This is not the case at all. Co-anglers are very vital to this sport. They are the backbone of the entire industry, and there will always be a place for co-anglers on the FLW Tour. They are the ones who move to the pro side in the Rayovac FLW Series and eventually into the pro spots on the FLW Tour.