B.A.S.S. announces new format for Fed

For immediate release
Jan. 10, 2006

BASS UNVEILS NEW FEDERATION NATION PROGRAM
Committed to Growing the BASS Legacy, Federation Nation Features More Funding, New BASS Club World Championship, Rewarding Experiences

CELEBRATION, Fla. — Taking a bold step into the next generation of BASS State Federation chapters, BASS introduced today its plan for the Federation Nation, a group that will focus on community, fraternity and stewardship.

In 2006 and beyond, BASS plans to grow Federation Nation membership at the state, national and international levels by improving communication and member service, offer more funding for Conservation and more support for youth and education. In all, this will create a more rewarding experience for Federation Nation members.

In this year alone, BASS will offer Federation Nation members benefits and exposure valued at nearly $4 million, including television and magazine exposure, conservation and youth programs and BASS INSIDER, a special membership level not offered before.

A New Kind of Competition
In 2007, new Bass Club competition will be held between Federation Nation six-angler Bass Club teams in each state. During the season, each state will send six Bass Club teams to one of 10 regional championships in the nation.

The top six teams at each of the regional championships will move on to the new BASS Federation Nation Bass Club World Championship. The winning team receives a fully-rigged Triton boat with Mercury Outboard for each member, for a value of $250,000.

While the current BASS Federation tournament structure will remain in tact this year, BASS will enhance the trail in 2007 by allowing all state and international Federations to qualify their champion for the BASS Federation Championship and will pay the travel expenses for each contender and his spouse.

In addition to receiving highly coveted berths in the CITGO Bassmaster Classic, the six Federation Championship winners will also be awarded paid entry fees into his choice of either the CITGO Bassmaster Northern or Southern Tour.

BASS will realign the Federation Divisional tournaments into 10 regions, allowing every Federation Nation club the opportunity to compete at a new level of competition that rewards club performance. Under this format, 200 percent more anglers from each state will compete and they will do so in smaller fields, making higher-level competition more affordable than ever before.

Delivering More Value
Going forward, BASS Federation Nation members will receive the following additional benefits:

– BASS INSIDER membership
– A specially designed Federation Nation section on BASS INSIDER
– Bassmaster University discounts
– Eligibility into the ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series bonus program
– Eligibility into the Field Tester Program
– Fundraising opportunities, including a membership bounty program and a merchandise rebate on products sold
– BASS STUFF merchandise discounts and more
– Enhanced cash payouts and paid entry fees to the winners of the BASS Federation Championship

“The Federation Nation will share a common bond, a common goal, a fraternal feel and a vested interest in growing the sport,” said Don Rucks, BASS vice president and general manager.

Conservation and Youth
The Federation Nation also will have:
– A Stewardship Program linked to the National Fish Habitat Action Plan
– A Conservation College Scholarship Program, awarding seven scholarships annually that total $17,000
– A minimum of $50,000 nationally to state chapters for Conservation efforts annually
– A BASS Conservation Action Support Team (CAST)
– A youth program including a subscription to Junior Bassmaster magazine and the Master Angler Program
– A Walt Disney World celebration for the two Junior Bassmaster world champions

Enhanced Member Service
Member service will play a major role in the Federation Nation in 2006 and beyond. It will include:
– A new member service program, including extended service hours and trained BASS representatives to answer questions
– Travel assistance for Federation Nation state champions and spouses to the BASS Federation Nation Championship
– Travel assistance for Junior World Championship contenders, which will mirror the CastingKids contenders travel assistance and equals a more than $100,000 commitment to Federation Nation families

For the complete list of benefits and additions to the BASS Federation Nation, please visit http://www.bassmaster.com
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry’s widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit http://www.bassmaster.com.

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In 2007, new Bass Club competition will be held between Federation Nation six-angler Bass Club teams in each state. During the season, each state will send six Bass Club teams to one of 10 regional championships in the nation.

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So instead of a state team, they are sending six clubs? How are the six bass clubs determined?

B.A.S.S Federation Nation Bass Club Six-Angler World Championship New for 2007
o Each state will qualify six-angler Bass Club teams.
• Team members must be from the same club
• Club size will determine how many teams each club can send to state qualifier
o Each state will send six Bass Club teams to its Regional Championship (10 Regional Championships in nation)
• Team consist of three boaters and three non-boaters
• Paired randomly (not with teammates) in draw format
o Top six Bass Club teams from each Region go to the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Bass Club Six-Angler World Championship
o World Champion team wins six fully rigged Triton/Mercury packages, for total value of $250,000
o B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Bass Club Six-Angler World Championship Competition is only open to Federation Nation Clubs – Any non-affiliated club that wants to participate must join the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation chapter in their state
o State and regional entry fees will be charged to each participating angler
o Regional Bass Club Qualifiers (tentative)
• Southeast: AL, GA, SC, FL, Zimbabwe
• S. Central: MS, LA, AR, East TX, South Africa
• Midwest: OK, MO, KS, NE, IA
• Atlantic: NC, TN, KY, VA, WV, DE, MD
• North East: PA, NY, NJ, New England States, Italy
• Great Lakes: OH, MI, IL, IN, MN, WI, Canada
• Upper Midwest: SD, WY, ID, MT, ND
• Southwest: West TX, NM, CO, UT, Mexico
• Southern Pacific: AZ, S.CA, HI, NV
• Northern Pacific: Northern CA, OR, WA, Japan

I don’t really understand the new format either, but I’m sure there will be much more information once everyone gets back from the meetings.

Hopefully this will put to rest all of the BS about BASS wanting to walk away from the Federation.

Vern,

So how will the anglers from each state for the Federation Championship (to determine who goes to the Classic) be determined?

Rick

Looks like the Divisional tournaments are gone so each state qualifies their state champion and that one person goes to the championship. How will we get any non-boaters to come to our state tournament when the only spot that goes on is 1st place. Its pretty hard to win from the back of the boat.

Not a greenie fisherman but I love watching trains wreck…

Each state would send 6, six man teams and from what I have read in a couple of differant posts is that each member of each team will pay a $250 entery to fish the regional.

If each state sends 6 teams of 6 that’s 36 for each state and there are 52 states and coutnries. From what I have read it is a $250 entry fee per person that’s $468,000 and then you get to go to the nationals entry free and have a chance for one team to recieve a new Triton boat package per person for a $250,000 value.

The regions are not eqaul either. Just look at the great lakes (our division) and the upper midwest division.

I guess that doesn’t sound to bad. LOL

Hey Scooter, Give this deal to me in ENGLISH. Explain it to me starting with our club events, to zone, to state, etc……

Here is the way I understand it as it might affect Wisconsin…. There are 2 seperate avenues.

1. Continue with club, zone, state tournaments the same as we do now. The only difference is no 12 man team, no divisionals. The person who wins state goes directly to B.A.S.S. Federation Championship, paid by B.A.S.S. Then 6 people from the Nationals go on to the Bassmaster Classic.

2. The other route is that each club sends their 6 man teams to compete at the State level, larger clubs may send more than one 6 man team depending on the size of their club. This team always competes together as a team. Maybe this could replace our 4-Man Classic that we have now? The top 6 teams from Wisconsin go on to compete at a regional tournament with other states. The top 6 teams at each of 10 regional tournaments goes to a national. The winning team there wins a boat each. No one goes to the Bassmaster Classic from this route. I beleive there will be entry fees at each level of this competition.

Hope my interpretation helps.

I’m sorry that was confusing. I guess the point I want to make was there is going to be more cost and what looks to me not a lot of reward. But I will say what I have is all rumor no facts so I will have to wait and see which way I am going to go.
But one fact sticks in my mind is what Rucks stated the first morning of the meetings. “This is not the old BASS anymore. This is the new Federation and we are not going to vote on anything, anymore”. I guess it will be just like fishing any other tournament circut. You pay your entry fee and go fish. I notice to that they refer everything as clubs. The way I see it there won’t be any reps or any type of forum for the anglers to have any say in anything about the tournaments. Oh and by the way no voting no representitives adds up to BASS can do what ever they want.