LAKEPORT, Calif.- Operation Bass, the nation’s premier bass tournament organization, will hold its fifth Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League (BFL) tournament in the Western Division Sept. 29-30 on Clear Lake. The two-day Super Tournament is the final Western Division event in the new 119-event national series for weekend anglers.
Last spring Wal-Mart announced its title sponsorship of the popular Operation Bass Red Man Tournament Trail series that is widely credited with opening competitive bass fishing to the masses. The announcement marked the end of an era for Red Man, which became the tour’s original title sponsor in 1983 and helped Operation Bass pioneer affordable, close-to-home, weekend tournaments.
Operation Bass chairman Irwin L. Jacobs believes that Wal-Mart’s sponsorship of the BFL will open new marketing avenues for the retailer and the series. “Wal-Mart is committed to elevating sport fishing in America,” he said. “This sponsorship is a natural extension for them, as it will have a significant impact on their customers in grass roots markets. Wal-Mart customers and fishing enthusiasts are one and the same.”
Wal-Mart sponsorship of the BFL signals the company’s strong commitment to one of the nation’s most popular pastimes and bodes well for the future of the sport. In recent years, professional bass fishing has moved from the backwaters of southern impoundments to the mainstream largely due to the big-money Wal-Mart FLW Tour and EverStart Series, both of which are Operation Bass programs.
“We are always looking for innovative ways to reach our customers,” said Mike McFadden, vice president, divisional merchandise manager for Wal-Mart. “Our support of the BFL is a new way to communicate with Wal-Mart customers who enjoy the outdoors and love to fish.”
Wal-Mart BFL Super Tournaments feature a boater and co-angler format to accommodate anglers of various skill levels. They also use a 400-point scoring system that ensures equitable treatment of all competitors. Under the system, an angler receives 400 points for a win, 399 points for second, 398 points for third and so on. Every angler who receives weight credit during a tournament receives points.
The Sept. 29 weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. at Skylark Shores in Lakeport, and the Sept. 30 weigh-in will start at 4 p.m. at the Clear Lake, Calif., Wal-Mart on Dam Road. The winning boater will collect up to $12,000, and the winning co-angler will receive up to $6,000 based on a full field of 200 boaters and 200 co-anglers.
The top 30 boaters and top 30 co-anglers in the Western Division will advance to regional competition Oct. 23-27 on Lake Shasta near Redding, Calif., where they will go up against top competitors from the Colorado River division for a shot at qualifying for the BFL All-American, which features an estimated purse of $345,000 and ranks as one of the most lucrative post-season tournaments in competitive angling.
Nationwide, the BFL is divided into 22 divisions-each featuring four one-day qualifying tournaments and a two-day Super Tournament. Entry fees in each qualifying event are $150 for boaters and $75 for co-anglers. Entry fees for Super Tournaments are doubled, as are payouts.
The support given to bass fishing by the world’s leading retailer is unprecedented. Wal-Mart’s initial sponsorship of the FLW Tour in 1997 was the first sponsorship in the company’s history. Wal-Mart then expanded its involvement in the sport in 1998 as title sponsor of the EverStart Series. EverStart is Wal-Mart’s private label automotive and marine battery. It is also the No. 1 selling retail automotive and marine battery in the world.
Awards for the 2001 BFL season could reach $5.7 million based on full fields at each tournament. Additionally, Ranger Boats will award a new Ranger 518VX Comanche bass boat to the highest placing participant in the Ranger Cup incentive program at the Wal-Mart BFL All-American. Ranger Cup participants are also eligible to win a $500 to $1,000 bonus at each BFL tournament. Anglers using a fixed-mount GARMIN sonar are also eligible to win a $1,000 bonus at each BFL tournament as part of the GARMIN Grand Giveaway.
Sponsors of the 2001 Wal-Mart BFL are ALPO Pet Foods, BC Powder, BFGoodrich Tires, Black & Decker, Chevy Trucks, CITGO, Coleman, Conseco, Energizer, EverStart Batteries, Frito-Lay, FujiFilm, Garmin, Kellogg’s, Land O’Lakes, Mercury Marine, Minn Kota, Pepsi, Poulan, Pure Fishing, Ranger Boats, Snickers Cruncher Bar, Stren, Shop-Vac, Timex, US Bank, Visa, Weed Eater, Wrangler and Yamaha Outboards. ACDelco is an associate sponsor of the Wal-Mart BFL.