A major shake up in the world of professional bass fishing has just occurred. In what can only be described as a mass exodus from the Elite and FLW series’ has seen 80 of the worlds top pros move to the Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour.
While the numbers are staggering, the names are exponentially more so. Household names such as Edwin Evers, Brent Erhler, Shaw Grigsby, Jordan Lee, and even the GOAT — KVD, have all made the jump.
Lower entry fees, higher payouts, more sponsorship opportunities, and a more democratic environment all were cited as reasons by various anglers for the move.
You can read the full list of the 80 anglers joining the tour here.
The Format
The format can be described as both novel and…extended. From the Major League Fishing Website:
- 8 MLF Bass Pro Tour events feed into 4 MLF Cup events and 2 Championships
- All 80 anglers compete in each MLF Bass Pro Tour event
- Every fish counts: MLF Pros will earn points at each MLF Bass Pro Tour event based on the scoreable bass they catch
- After two tour events, the top 30 anglers based on points will move on to compete in the first MLF Cup event. This will repeat every two tour events, feeding different groups of 30 into all four MLF Cup events
- At the conclusion of the MLF Bass Pro Tour 8-event season, the top 30 anglers in year-long total points earn a spot in the MLF Redcrest.
- FORMAT: The format for MLF Bass Pro Tour events will be similar to the General Tire World Championship events that you saw on CBS in 2017 and 2018.
- The 80 anglers will be separated into two groups, 40 anglers in each
- Day 1-2 = Shotgun Round 1-2
- 40 anglers (divided into Group A and Group B) compete to catch the highest weight each day
- All anglers move on to Elimination Rounds
- Anglers’ Shotgun Round weight carries over to the Elimination Round
- Day 3-4 = Elimination Round 1
- 40 anglers (Group A and Group B) compete to catch the highest weight
- Anglers’ Shotgun Round weight is combined with the weight they catch in the Elimination Round
- Top 20 anglers from each group advance to Sudden Death Round
- Day 5 = Knockout Round
- 40 anglers (top 20 from each Elimination Round) compete
- All anglers will begin the Knockout round with zero weight
- Top 10 anglers advance to the Championship Round
- Day 6 = Championship Round
- 10 anglers compete to catch the highest weight
- A camera in every boat will livestream the action on MajorLeagueFishing.com
That’s a long week of fishing. Read the full rundown here.
And Now…No Entry Fees
Just today, Major League Fishing has announced that the 80 anglers on the tour have voted to eliminate entry fees altogether.
The immediate implication is that the decision will result in lower payouts than were initially announced, but still higher than the other major tours like FLW and the Elite Series.
The life of an angler on a pro tour isn’t easy. Entry fees and travel are a major expense that require massive sponsorships and planning to navigate. And if you don’t win it can be a tough row to hoe. This is a huge step to removing the barrier to entry for these guys.
But Will It Stick
Everything is sounding wonderful and the future looks bright for Major League Fishing, but will it work long-term?
I’m reminded of something similar in another sport. I’m a huge fan of MMA, and have been for over 20 years. The big show in town these days is the UFC. Coming up against this juggernaut these days would be like the XFL attempting to compete with the NFL. Besides “He Hate Me” no one remembers much about the XFL.
Back to MMA though. In 2008, another organization decided it was going to take on the UFC and Affliction MMA was born. Started by the Affliction clothing company, and including on its roster of owners and stakeholders Donald Trump, they started throwing around money and promises. They courted some of the biggest international names in MMA.
Unfortunately, they only promoted two Pay-Per-View events. They simply could not stop hemorrhaging money, and had to fold in 2009.
Major League Fishing has me hopeful, but wary. It sounds great, has solid financial backing, and is being lauded by the anglers as something incredible. I can’t wait to watch and be there live to cover events.
Let’s see if it remains viable into the future.