(May 5, 2017 - Minneapolis, MN)
Fishing League Worldwide (FLW), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Bass Pro Shops, a leading national retailer of outdoor gear and apparel, announced today a partnership supporting nationwide high school fishing tournaments in an effort to promote both organizations and grow the sport. Effective immediately, Bass Pro Shops will assume title sponsorship of the FLW High School Fishing Opens.
"FLW and Bass Pro Shops share the same passionate audience," said FLW President of Marketing Trish Blake. "Both organizations excel within the outdoors industry. By forming this partnership, we are able to leverage each other's strengths and build upon the synergies between us."
The 2017 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Opens is a 24-event series featuring tournaments for High School Fishing anglers around the country. The tournaments are free to enter, and the top 10 percent of teams in each event advance directly to the High School Fishing National Championship, held June 27-July 1 on Pickwick Lake in Florence, Alabama. Qualifiers in tournaments held after June 10 will advance to the 2018 High School Fishing National Championship.
“Bass Pro Shops is deeply committed to helping young people connect with nature through fishing and outdoor recreation,” said noted conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder/CEO Johnny Morris. “We are very proud to support Fishing League Worldwide and their efforts to grow the sport of fishing with anglers of all ages.”
Per terms of the agreement, Bass Pro Shops will receive exposure at more than 274 FLW-sanctioned bass fishing tournaments and Expos, and through multiple FLW media channels, which include FLWFishing.com and FLW Bass Fishing magazine. Bass Pro Shops gift cards will be featured each month in the FLW Monthly Member Giveaways, and the brand will headline exclusive content across FLW’s social media outlets, which are viewed by hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts.
In addition to the High School Fishing events, Bass Pro Shops will also be the presenting sponsor of multiple YETI FLW College Fishing tournaments.
Select tournaments across all circuits will have registration and/or weigh-in hosted at Bass Pro Shops store locations, and FLW will be showcased in the annual Bass Pro Shops Gone Fishing events planned for summer.
Visit FLWFishing.com for more details or to find out how to start a club at your school.
2017 Bass Pro Shops FLW High School Fishing Opens:
May 6 Wisconsin Open & Iowa State Championship Mississippi River @ La Crosse
May 13 Missouri Open Truman Lake
May 14 California Open & State Championship California Delta
May 20 Virginia Open & State Championship Claytor Lake
June 3 Minnesota Open Mississippi River
June 10 Michigan Open & State Championship Detroit River
Sept. 9 Louisiana Open Ouachita River
Sept. 16 Maryland Open Potomac River
Sept. 23 Pennsylvania Open Raystown Lake
Sept. 30 Indiana Open Lake Monroe
Oct. 7 Illinois Open Lake Springfield
Oct.14 New York Open Oneida Lake
Oct. 21 Oklahoma Open Grand Lake
Oct. 28 Ohio Open Caesar Creek
Nov. 4 Kentucky Open Lake Cumberland
Nov. 18 Tennessee Open Norris Lake
Dec. 2 Georgia Open Lake Lanier
Dec. 9 Florida Open St. Johns River
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2017 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 274 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW" television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros.
About Bass Pro Shops®
Bass Pro Shops is a leading destination retailer offering outdoor gear and apparel in an immersive setting. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today more than 100 retail and marine centers host 120 million people annually. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is known as a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
