MLF and Bass Pro Shops Announce Historic 5-Year Sponsorship Extension
BENTON, Ky. and SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (March. 6, 2023) – Major League Fishing (MLF), the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, and Bass Pro Shops, North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company, alongside White River Marine Group, the World’s #1 Boat Builder, announced today a historic agreement.
Extending and expanding on their original sponsorship agreement, Bass Pro Shops will become the exclusive sporting goods retailer and White River Marine Group brands Nitro, Ranger and Triton will become the exclusive performance fishing boat brands for MLF events, including the Bass Pro Tour, REDCREST, the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and the General Tire Team Series. Bass Pro Shops will also remain the title sponsor of the Bass Pro Tour through 2028.
“Bass Pro Shops was an original founding partner in our sponsorship family, and their support of Major League Fishing has been unwavering as we’ve grown and expanded over the past dozen years,” said Jim Wilburn, MLF President of Sales. “We’re extremely proud of our long-term partnership with Bass Pro Shops, and we’ve enjoyed building the Bass Pro Tour, REDCREST, Heavy Hitters and the Team Series alongside them. If it weren’t for Johnny Morris’ support, the Bass Pro Tour would have never happened. We look forward to many more successful years to come working alongside Johnny and his teams, the unquestioned leaders in outdoor retail.”
The sponsorship agreement marks an extension of the original five-year agreement that Bass Pro Shops signed in 2019 when the MLF Bass Pro Tour was initially launched. In addition to the title sponsorship of the Bass Pro Tour, Bass Pro Shops will also remain the title sponsor of the General Tire Team Series Championship, the presenting sponsor of the General Tire Heavy Hitters All-Star event, and White River Marine Group brands Nitro, Ranger and Triton will become the exclusive boat brands for the Bass Pro Tour, General Tire Heavy Hitters and the General Tire Team Series.
“When Bass Pro Shops became one of our initial sponsors back in 2011, we were confident this partnership would be an ideal fit,” said Boyd Duckett, MLF President and CEO. “Our two organizations have similar corporate values, and we are proud with the direction this relationship has grown. Partnering with a global leader like Bass Pro Shops has allowed us to make significant steps towards building the sport of competitive bass fishing, our conservation efforts, and enhancing the overall tournament angler experience.”
“We are proud to stand alongside Major League Fishing to promote the great sport of fishing to fans around the world,” Bass Pro Shops founder and noted conservationist Johnny Morris said. “Together we can do great things to support conservation while creating many positive opportunities for kids, families, professional anglers and the sport itself.”
Bass Pro Shops will be prominently featured across numerous MLF media platforms, including its tournaments and activations, website and social media channels, and the MLF television programming on CBS, the Discovery Channel, the Outdoor Channel, the World Fishing Network and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). As part of the sponsorship agreement, Bass Pro Shops also will be showcased as a premier retailer at the General Tire Outdoor Sports Expo, March 10-12, in Charlotte, North Carolina, in conjunction with REDCREST 2023, the Bass Pro Tour championship event.
For complete details and updated information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more.
In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.”
About Major League Fishing
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, the Discovery Channel, the Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, the World Fishing Network and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV).
Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 13 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
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