Evans Harnesses the Power of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for 2015 Tour
Nickelodeon the number-one entertainment brand for kids, and Lil’ Anglers LLC, makers of the new Kid Casters no-tangle rods and reels for children, today announced sponsorship of professional bass angler and Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame member Charlie Evans on the FLW Tour.
Evans, the former president and CEO of FLW, the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, will run a Kid Casters Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-wrapped Ranger Z520C bass boat powered by a 250-horsepower Evinrude E-Tec G2 on the 2015 FLW Tour.
“More than twice the number of people fished last year than attended every NFL game combined,” said Ken Mantel, Senior Vice President, Retail Sales for Nickelodeon Consumer Products. “It’s a huge audience for Nickelodeon-branded products, and nobody reaches more anglers than FLW. We are pleased to introduce our Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles boat with Charlie Evans at the helm.”
Evans will compete on the Walmart FLW Tour and the Northern BASS Opens in 2015.
“This is an incredible opportunity to give back to the sport that has given so much to me over the years,” said Evans, a competitive angler since 1971 who served FLW from 1982 through 2010. “The more children I can introduce to fishing the better. Walmart, FLW, Nickelodeon and Lil’ Anglers are all family-friendly organizations, so it’s a perfect match all the way around.”
Lil’ Anglers develops, manufactures and sells innovative fishing products that cater to children. The company’s line of Kid Casters no-tangle rods and reels featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and other popular Nickelodeon characters are sold by Walmart and other national retailers.
“Early fishing experiences are memorable for everyone because they mark those important moments in life that we get to share with the people that we care about most,” said Ralph Duda III, CEO of Lil’ Anglers. “Our goal is to help families get the most out of their time outdoors as they keep traditions alive and make memories together.”
According to the American Sportfishing Association there are approximately 60 million anglers in the United States of which 46 million fish in a given year. Of the 46 million active anglers, 13 million are age 16 or younger. All told ASA estimates that anglers account for $48 billion in retail sales each year.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 36th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years.
