Did Boyd Duckett try to buy B.A.S.S.?

[TownesZ21]

they left with the promise of free entry fees. I am sure there are a lot of good stories on how that played out.

They left because they thought they could build something bigger and better. That included the idea of increased revenues through reaching a larger market and growing the sport to the level of a true professional sport, not playing for each others money and essentially gambling, but with extremely high cost to participate (equipment, fuel, travel expenses).

The idea was that you don't have to pay to enter true professional sports and that is where the no entry fee idea came from. They are not wrong there, they turned out to be wrong on the idea that you can generate enough revenue through sponsorships and T.V. etc. to cover the costs of payouts.... They essentially tried and failed to turn it into a truly professional league.

BASS knows that it isn't and they are essentially running a casino and taking a rake to cover their coast. As mentioned in my previous post, the tournaments run at a small profit, they did increase payouts for a short time on the Elite Series (decrease rake) to stop the bleeding but not massive profits there, again as mentioned the Classic is their big profit centre.

[Bueller]

An MLF tournament is now nearly a mirror image of a BASS tournament, save livewells, weigh ins and the fact that it takes, what, seven days to crown a winner? Payouts are the same, entry fees are the same, five fish, etc. It’s laughable as MLF’s promise to the anglers was a broken promise built on a flawed business proposition. I’m convinced most would come back to BASS, but the path back is difficult and costly.

[yadkincustomlures]

BASS has made the path back to the elite series costly and time consuming so that all those that jumped off the ship can continue to drown. Many of those guys did just well enough to stay on the elite series and now can't find their way back. There are plenty of guys fishing all 9 opens that can compete at a high level. BASS will still be around 20 years from now, not sure the same can be said for MLF

MLF is where careers go to die. Young elite series pros left because the grass was greener and now they've fallen off the map. Bertrand, Elam, MDJ, Roy, etc etc jumped ship and now I couldn't tell you when the last time was I saw anything mentioned about them. Great guys with bright futures that made a bad decision

Like it or not, BASS is what everyone else strives to be. They are the standard by which all others are judged. Anybody go to redcrest and the classic? I did. Not hard to tell which organization has more buzz

[lakebouef5]

If ESPN, the largest sports network on the planet..ever, could not make bass fishing a major viewing event with large payouts and sponsorship, I doubt Duckett, Klein, KVD, and a couple of deep pockets can. In several market studies, it was determined by ESPN that Bass Fishing would always be a niche, small market, and boring to most Americans. It's why they sold it at a loss. MLF 's goal was to supplant BASS as the main tournament event company and rake in those dollars. The main thing I do not like about their model, is what I call the Brother in Law qualification. Ray Scott spelled out how one would qualify to fish the big events. Anyone could qualify if you paid the entry and fished good. MLF went another way.

[Mcjenson]

An MLF tournament is now nearly a mirror image of a BASS tournament, save livewells, weigh ins and the fact that it takes, what, seven days to crown a winner? Payouts are the same, entry fees are the same, five fish, etc. It’s laughable as MLF’s promise to the anglers was a broken promise built on a flawed business proposition. I’m convinced most would come back to BASS, but the path back is difficult and costly.

To be fair, I think knowing the "score" of the five fish tournament is a significant change vs the bass format. Also, I find it hard to argue that catch / weigh / release isn't a positive for the fish population. I understand it isn't feasible at the local level, but if you have marshals riding in the boat and you do the same at Lake Fork, why not do the same for the rest of your tournaments? Maybe just allow one keeper to ride in the livewell for weigh ins.

[RJR]

BASS Anybody go to redcrest and the classic? I did. Not hard to tell which organization has more buzz

while you went to both, those of us who watched both events via the internet realized how much better the MLF production was. They outdid BASS in every aspect. It will be interesting to see how how all this shakes out, including what few sponsorship dollars that are out there.

[snuffangler]

1. Those who speak, do not know. Those who know, do not speak.

2. Research "Tulip Mania". A lot of people got stuck holding the bag. Just like know. He pays the piper, gets to call the tune.

[dean c]

BASS has made the path back to the elite series costly and time consuming so that all those that jumped off the ship can continue to drown. Many of those guys did just well enough to stay on the elite series and now can't find their way back. There are plenty of guys fishing all 9 opens that can compete at a high level. BASS will still be around 20 years from now, not sure the same can be said for MLF

MLF is where careers go to die. Young elite series pros left because the grass was greener and now they've fallen off the map. Bertrand, Elam, MDJ, Roy, etc etc jumped ship and now I couldn't tell you when the last time was I saw anything mentioned about them. Great guys with bright futures that made a bad decision

Like it or not, BASS is what everyone else strives to be. They are the standard by which all others are judged. Anybody go to redcrest and the classic? I did. Not hard to tell which organization has more buzz

Very good summation of the situation. I still say they will go back to a traditional catch/keep/weigh in before they cease to exist. The question will be is that profitable enough to sustain them?

[Mcjenson]

while you went to both, those of us who watched both events via the internet realized how much better the MLF production was. They outdid BASS in every aspect. It will be interesting to see how how all this shakes out, including what few sponsorship dollars that are out there.

I wonder if the significantly reduced amount of ads was due to lack of advertisers, or a conscious production choice by MLF. I'm a BASS homer, but I have to admit they certainly didn't let the fishing breathe during the broadcast. Every second seemed to be filled either with ads, industry interviews, or talking heads.

[Jfish]

An MLF tournament is now nearly a mirror image of a BASS tournament, save livewells, weigh ins and the fact that it takes, what, seven days to crown a winner? Payouts are the same, entry fees are the same, five fish, etc. It’s laughable as MLF’s promise to the anglers was a broken promise built on a flawed business proposition. I’m convinced most would come back to BASS, but the path back is difficult and costly.

I thought that KVD, Evers, Reese, Lee, Defoe, Ashley, etc., could have easily come back under the exemption or whatever they call it.

[Kingfish3000]

B.A.S.S. has recurring revenue from membership contracts and a database.

The TV contracts, sponsorships, advertising, co-marketing etc. all generate a lot of revenue and those are the most valuable contracts.

A group bought B.A.S.S. from ESPN in 2011

Here is an article form 40 years discussing a B.A.S.S. tournament trail and a modern bassboat that cost $15,000.

https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/06/u...har-gills.html

[BoatBuggy]

Every second seemed to be filled either with ads, industry interviews, or talking heads.

Kinda like the Super Bowl.....

[skeeterator]

If ESPN, the largest sports network on the planet..ever, could not make bass fishing a major viewing event with large payouts and sponsorship, I doubt Duckett, Klein, KVD, and a couple of deep pockets can. In several market studies, it was determined by ESPN that Bass Fishing would always be a niche, small market, and boring to most Americans. It's why they sold it at a loss. MLF 's goal was to supplant BASS as the main tournament event company and rake in those dollars. The main thing I do not like about their model, is what I call the Brother in Law qualification. Ray Scott spelled out how one would qualify to fish the big events. Anyone could qualify if you paid the entry and fished good. MLF went another way.

Nailed it, if ESPN couldn't get it done no one will. It should have been obvious for those involved but Boyd hooked em with a crazy sales pitch and basic math went out the window.

[yadkincustomlures]

while you went to both, those of us who watched both events via the internet realized how much better the MLF production was. They outdid BASS in every aspect. It will be interesting to see how how all this shakes out, including what few sponsorship dollars that are out there.

I would rather walk barefoot across a bed of 20 penny nails than listen to Marty stone commentate

[flipNfrog]

BASS has made the path back to the elite series costly and time consuming so that all those that jumped off the ship can continue to drown. Many of those guys did just well enough to stay on the elite series and now can't find their way back. There are plenty of guys fishing all 9 opens that can compete at a high level. BASS will still be around 20 years from now, not sure the same can be said for MLF

MLF is where careers go to die. Young elite series pros left because the grass was greener and now they've fallen off the map. Bertrand, Elam, MDJ, Roy, etc etc jumped ship and now I couldn't tell you when the last time was I saw anything mentioned about them. Great guys with bright futures that made a bad decision

Like it or not, BASS is what everyone else strives to be. They are the standard by which all others are judged. Anybody go to redcrest and the classic? I did. Not hard to tell which organization has more buzz

Hard to argue this logic.

[snuffangler]

Hard to argue this logic.

It's not logic. People hate MLF because Daddy's new girlfriend or Mom's new poker. People didn't have a problem with FLW like they do with BPT/MLF. MLF BOUGHT FLW and changed the name.
The anglers had every right to do what they did. Elites and MLF/BPT. From what I see, B.A.S.S. Opens cut off their noses to spite their faces. Anglers know Bryan Thrift for almost 20 years. Who won the Classic this year? Red Green?
All of the organizations hurt themselves and the who tournament game may suffer.

[Quillback]

It's not logic. People hate MLF because Daddy's new girlfriend or Mom's new poker. People didn't have a problem with FLW like they do with BPT/MLF. MLF BOUGHT FLW and changed the name.
The anglers had every right to do what they did. Elites and MLF/BPT. From what I see, B.A.S.S. Opens cut off their noses to spite their faces. Anglers know Bryan Thrift for almost 20 years. Who won the Classic this year? Red Green?
All of the organizations hurt themselves and the who tournament game may suffer.

Yeah, it is the same old stuff, from the same people that are wishing MLF would go away. They've been saying that for how long now? MLF keeps chugging along.

[morrcat33]

It's not logic. People hate MLF because Daddy's new girlfriend or Mom's new poker. People didn't have a problem with FLW like they do with BPT/MLF. MLF BOUGHT FLW and changed the name.
The anglers had every right to do what they did. Elites and MLF/BPT. From what I see, B.A.S.S. Opens cut off their noses to spite their faces. Anglers know Bryan Thrift for almost 20 years. Who won the Classic this year? Red Green?
All of the organizations hurt themselves and the who tournament game may suffer.

...Jeff Gustafson.

[basfish]

I would rather walk barefoot across a bed of 20 penny nails than listen to Marty stone commentate

Still better than listening to Zona

[TownesZ21]

It's not logic. People hate MLF because Daddy's new girlfriend or Mom's new poker. People didn't have a problem with FLW like they do with BPT/MLF. MLF BOUGHT FLW and changed the name.
The anglers had every right to do what they did. Elites and MLF/BPT. From what I see, B.A.S.S. Opens cut off their noses to spite their faces. Anglers know Bryan Thrift for almost 20 years. Who won the Classic this year? Red Green?
All of the organizations hurt themselves and the who tournament game may suffer.

Red Green is from Southern Ontario, Gussy is from Northern Ontario, Mercer who gave Gussy the terrible nickname is from Southern Ontario..... Almost as confusing as some of you think following MLF is eh!

Oh yeah, and those foreigners are taking over B.A.S.S. on and off the water, can't believe y'all aren't flocking to MLF to get away from them!