According to BassFan*, the list of 80 anglers competing in the MLF BPT next year is complete.

So I took that list of anglers and compared it against the 2018 AOY standings from Bassmaster.com to get a statistical view of who's leaving, with the help of Excel. The Elite series field was 110 anglers at the start of the year (finished 108 after 2 hardships). Out of that group, 68 are leaving for MLF.

Out of the top 20 in AOY standings, 18 are leaving**.

Out of the top 50 in AOY standings, 41 are leaving***.

So next year's Elite series guys are:

1) Fishing for no entry fees (you make $500 at the year's end if you finish last in every tournament)
2) Fishing for bigger purses, as announced by B.A.S.S.
3) Fishing against weaker competition, with 41 of the top 50 in last year's AOY standings leaving for MLF.

So at least for next year, the anglers (and especially the rookies) have to be doing the happy dance right now.

* http://www.bassfan.com/docktalk_article/19385/angler-decision-tracker-(updated)#.W7TZgvlRdtR
** The 2 remaining ones in the top 20 are Seth Feider and Chris Zaldain
*** The 9 remaining ones in the top 50 are:
Seth Feider
Chris Zaldain
Jake Whitaker
Clifford Pirch
Micah Frazier
Bill Lowen
Keith Combs
Chad Pipkens
Scott Rook

Not much good if it bankrupts BASS after 1 year.

I think I saw that David Fritts is the now the most recent Classic Champ & AOY winner still with BASS. That was back in '93 & '94 when he won.

Yeah, that is accurate. Although people who've won the Classic more recently than him aren't fishing any of the top 3 tours (Davy Hite, Denny Brauer, Woo Daves, Dion Hibdon, and George Cochran).

Craziness... can't wait to see how it all shakes out.

this is the b team of pro fishing bass should have opened up its wallet earlier.

Elites are not so Elite anymore

It won't bankrupt bass after 1 year, not with over 500,000 subscribers, I don't think.

It won't be good if they do. Most Pro Anglers don't want that to happen, they want all 3 to thrive if you listen to their announcements.

Honestly, so many are hating on BASS and I just don't know why unless they wronged you for some specific reason, why hate on them?

Print is just about dead

May not be a bad deal even if it only last for one year. With the talent pool so diminished a guy like Feider could win a couple events. If BASS folds then go over to FLW for a couple of years until they do next round of invites to BPT. The question then becomes are you black balled for not taking the invite the first time.

I hope all 3 survive and flourish. I still look forward to each magazine & subscribe to BASS Times. Exciting times ahead!

You should sign up.

We should.

as big as bass fishing has become, I think all 3 tours will be fine. Very interesting info about the BASS though.

It cracks me up that because all those guys left everyone automatically assumes the Elite Series will be full of push overs. I can almost bet you the people that fill those spots will be sticks. You have to be to get that far. Look at guys like Bertrand, Ott, Hartman. Those guys came through the opens and are now high ranking guys on Tour. The competition will stay the same just with new names.

And/or FLW. It will be interesting how many of those guys move over. FLW still has lot of their big names intact.