Zona cant leave fast enough for me. If he was half as funny as he thinks he is...."Is the Classic that big a deal anymore?" Is fishing for hundreds of thousands of dollars a big deal anymore? I think so. What do YOU think? No big deal?

Lol, ok

You cannot tell me this one is the "same" with all of those guys not in it. I like BASS and the format. I like FLW and MLF as well. True, someone will win and deposit the winner's check- but they did not beat the best in the world to get it.

If you will take the time to notice the last word in my statement was “FACT”. With that being said, you are entitled to submit your unsolicited OPINION as you have, but is certainly not a FACT like my statement. Half those guys would struggle to cash out at Tuesday night working mans tourney.

Bingo. That doesn’t mean BASS can’t or won’t adapt, but the money is online.

There was a time when the Classic was all about fishing, ( as were all tournaments). But now it's more about advertising and showing off products. And I understand that without sponsor money , fishing would be a lot lesser known and much smaller industry. Whoever wins will love being champion, just as much as anyone ever has. But to me ,all this extra expo, etc. takes away from the original purpose. I wish they still had to meet up somewhere, board a plane and find out in flight, where they were going. Having to fish from identical boats, 10 lbs. of tackle and 4 or 5 rod, reel setups. Then you'd know where the best really was .JMO.

Those 17 “ best in the world” pros are on the outside looking in and will remain on the outside for the remainder of their careers. That’s the price they will pay for being lemmings. 2 of them got smart before the door closed, the rest of them have already been forgotten about and none will be remembered as legends like many who came before them that have much more class and integrity. KVD who? Is he there making an appearance for his sponsors? Skeet who?

The future of the industry is currently participating in the most prominent event of the year... those 17 “best in the world” lemmings are stuck reciting ra-ra cheerleader talking points about how their purse snatching organization is the best while regretting every minute of it. Where is that 2020 Redcrest that was supposed to make the classic look like a traveling parking lot carnival, according to what the lemming leader stated in 2019? Oh yeah, they are having one because the org they got snookered into joining snatched the purse. The only one within who recognized it for what it was is Ike... The rest, to much of a coward to speak out.

I have been wondering what had been going on?

How can the 17 best in the world no longer be the 17 best in the world just because they switched tours?

So, are the 17 that replaced those who left the best in the world because of the tour their on, or does it not matter what tour their own if they’re actually the 17 best bass fisherman in the world?

The tour makes you the best? Or the anglers make the tour the best?

That is the 300K question!

Maybe we will be gleaned the knowledge but I have a feeling we will not.

Did you catch the mistake in the video?

I had to rewind to make sure I heard what I thought I did.

Sorry to veer from topic, but which model is the Cadillac now, ZXR or FXR? They’re making it too complicated for us simple minded folk.

Now back on.......yes, I think Classic still is a big deal. It’s about the only tourney that I’ll still try to watch. MLF, BPT not so much......occasionally watch an FLW.

Big O - only if your mindset represents the majority of the customer base, is what you are espousing, going to come true. The truth is, the sponsor money will follow the most watched and followed league.....PERIOD! You and I do not have the real data to know which that is. There are indicators but until there’s hard indisputable data, nobody with a modicum of integrity could get on this board and portend the intricacies which determine which pro fishing league is winning the war.
We know that MLF has a different product/format. We also know that MLF “seems” to value online streaming and network broadcast over traditional magazine and to some extent cable. I know MLF does broadcast on cable but the network cost of one hour on CBS during the NFL season is more than the cost of several episodes broadcast on cable. MLF wants to get fishing to the masses not just “Bubba”
BASS is continuing to rely on the magazine & membership, The Classic, ESPN2 and it’s website development, all which in my opinion are well done. Their head to head live-streams as compared to MLF are not as well produced, again in my opinion. BASS has a brand equity as well they should with nearly 60 years history, but are they in a position to thrive not just survive with a competitor the size and appeal that MLF brings?
BASS the brand is not going anywhere but how dominant is left to be seen. They’ve already lost a lot of that dominance if you use viewership just by the CBS numbers MLF drew in January’s broadcast. We can only go by comments made by folks like Rick Pierce who are privy to the viewership numbers that say the MLF online hits and viewership are “unprecedented “. Now, what does that mean? You and I do not know.
What we do know is MLF is the most relevant and capable competitor BASS has ever had. Both leagues want dominance. That can be measured in a lot of ways. The player dominance is on MLF’s side.......FOR NOW! It’s up to BASS to thrive not just survive if they are to elevate their “stars” to a status that makes their appeal to the buying public indisputable.
That said, MLF has the current star power but can it build its brand to keep the luster on their stars and prove itself to be the better play to sponsors?
That sir would be fortune telling if I tried right now.
I do know this, there’s more well produced bass fishing on now than ever before and it appeals to more than just “Bubba”.
No offense to Bubba.....I’m a Bubba too.