There are a few fundamental differences between the FLW Tour and the BASS Elite series, the biggest is qualification. You have to work hard fishing the BASS Opens to qualify for the Elite Series and once you do you have to perform to stay there, they will keep their field size to around 110 anglers so every year under performers are not invited back to make room for the guys that qualified and except the invitation to fish the Elites. The Elites are full of former FLW Tour Studs that got there fishing the BASS Opens.
The FLW Tour excepts you if you've got the money to play, there is a qualification process for guys that perform well through the Costa Series but generally if you've got the money your in, performance is not the standard for staying there. That's not a bad thing, it gives guys a chance to test their skill against some really good fishermen, and trust me there a guys fishing the FLW Tour that can compete any day of the week in the Elites but choose to stay with the FLW Tour.
The other difference is how each of them control their brand. BASS cares about their brand and goes the extra mile to make sure their represented the way they want to be portrayed and in a way their sponsors are proud of. Dave Mercer does a good job with the weigh ins, Zona, Sanders and Davy Hite make the live show interesting, their for sure more polished and professional than FLW. I just don't think FLW see's the importance of managing their Brand, the live show is good and that's new to them so I'm sure they will learn and make some changes as the figure it out. Daniel Fennel and Ray Callahan I'm sure are great guys and add value to FLW as a company but just are not the guys that should be calling the live weigh ins, it's almost a who's next mentality instead of doing a purpose filled search to find the best MC they can. Welders weld and Plummer's plum, putting people in place of importance for the value of your brand is something I hope they figure out, I've been a member of both BASS and FLW for to many years to count, don't really think one is better than the other, I'm glad they both exist and hope they both continue to strive to be better tomorrow than they are today.
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Originally Posted by huskyjerk
