New Bassmaster College Series format creates opportunities for more anglers
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Officials have unveiled a new format for the Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops beginning with the 2024 season. Under the new format, which helps meet the booming demand for college teams to compete, there is more priority placed on the Bassmaster College Team of the Year standings to qualify for both the National Championship and the College Classic Bracket presented by Lew’s.
“Over the past few years, college fishing has surged in popularity, and, even with expanding our field size, B.A.S.S. had a massive waiting list of more than 460 teams that wanted to compete in our 2023 College Series events,” said Glenn Cale, tournament manager for the College, High School and Junior Series. “This new format opens avenues for more teams to compete while also prioritizing a team’s overall body of work throughout the season and rewarding a strong National Championship showing.”
Beginning in 2024, the Bassmaster College Series will have two divisions, each with three tournaments, rather than the current four-tournament series. Each tournament will be capped at 250 teams, with the Top 25 teams from each event qualifying for the College Series National Championship.
Teams may only register for one division and will be competing against other teams in their division for valuable Team of the Year points. The Top 20 from each division’s TOY standings will qualify for the National Championship.
Unlike in years past, National Championship results will now factor into crowning a Bassmaster College Team of the Year, with each division’s Top 20 teams vying for the title.
Alongside the Top 20 anglers in each division and tournament qualifiers, the National Championship event will also include up to two qualifiers from each state’s B.A.S.S. Nation College circuit.
The Top 3 teams in the overall Bassmaster College Team of the Year standings — regardless of division — and the National Champions will advance to the College Classic Bracket to compete head-to-head in bracket-style competition for a berth in the iconic Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota. The 2022 College Classic Bracket champion Louis Monetti, part of the UNC Charlotte Team of the Year, became just the third college qualifier in history to make the Championship Sunday cut at the Bassmaster Classic earlier this year, finishing 23rd.
The tournament schedule and registration dates for the 2024 Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops are set to be released later this summer.
2023 Bassmaster College Series Title Sponsor: Strike King
2023 Bassmaster College Series Presenting Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2023 Bassmaster College Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2023 Bassmaster College Series Premier Sponsors: Dakota Lithium, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Progressive Insurance, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2023 Bassmaster College Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Garmin, Lew’s, Marathon, Triton Boats, VMC
2023 Bassmaster College Series Youth Sponsors: 13 Fishing, Seaguar, Shimano
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About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S., which encompasses the Bassmaster tournament leagues, events and media platforms, is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 515,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster
and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), TV show, radio show, social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, St. Croix Bassmaster Opens Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Strike King Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship, Yamaha Rightwaters Bassmaster Kayak Series powered by TourneyX, Yamaha Bassmaster Redfish Cup Championship presented by Skeeter and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Classic presented by Toyota.
