Well when you schedule the last three events of the year in states that will issue a lock down if someone sneezes.....there's a pretty good chance your schedule will be impacted. I'm sure BASS will do the same thing. I'll never understand scheduling tournaments in these lockdown states right now. It's just plain idiotic. And don't tell me how much these guys love the northern swing and getting out of the heat. That should be secondary to creating a reliable schedule.

What your comment is ignoring, as you call them all idiots, is the contractual commitment to host locations and agreements that may already be in place over a term. Secondly, most of the tournament host communities are doing everything they can to use their lake resources and to revive their local economies and want the events to be there. So you work with your partners, schedule the event, communicate through it and hope for the best outcome.

I'm certain all tournament organizations have backup contingency options, as they've navigated a year of it now.

You should go into politics Mark. I mean real politics instead of a political talking head for a tournament organization. That slight of hand and poor little community stuff you did there was executed to political perfection. Sorry you got fake triggered over the work idiot Mark.

Those people pick their leaders. Their leaders make it impossible to reliably host anything in their states. That in itself should breach the contract. But hey, if you guys want to keep playing schedule bingo go right ahead. I mean all the MLF plans have worked to perfection thus far. Who am I to second guess?

Talk about triggered, lol. I don't set any schedules for any of the pro leagues or have anything to do with it, just providing you another perspective for you to consider while on your rant. Carry on...

Mark just don't bring up high school fishing

I think the horses for courses theory fits for Christie, but I also think it speaks volumes , when you are losing the caliber of angler that MLF currently has lost in these 7 guys. These were not some of the guys that were questionable or should not have been invited etc. leaving. These are legit stars that are leaving, and Ike is an owner. Now some of the guys have thrived at MLF and that is great but some are king of stuck there also. The Opens are a brutal way to qualify, so all you can do is hope for the best. The amusing part will be how they somehow avoid demoting all 10 guys at the end of 2021, especially if they are owners. It is their own attitudes and arrogance that has caused the defections.

They asked Hackney today if he was for sure fishing the Elites next year, and he said he would be first in line to pay his entry fees for next season.

Drama drama drama, Cox left the other way, its all business at this point guys are going to go back an forth between both leagues for years to come

He also said he would never take fishing in the Elites for granted again.

Ike says he wants back in BASS but doesn't know if they are taking him back or not at this point. Not sure what the requirements are for a legends exemption. And when the announce them.

I agree, but the proof is in the pudding. John Cox fished BASS for one season and went back. It is not like he was a long time BASS guy leaving. The caliber of angler leaving MLF after realizing the grass is not greener, does speak a lot to the cancer that is MLF off the water as a business.

Basically only Roland Martin and Larry Nixon are ahead of him in legend points of those wanting back in, Roland only wants back in if Scott qualifies. One point for every bassmaster AOY title and classic won, Ike has 2, Nixon has 3, Roland has a bunch. They have traditionally offered 2 legend spots.

BASS is running a business. I would not fault them at all for changing any rule they want to let the MLF guys back in. This will only help their business out. Personally I want to see them fish there too. I just hope they keep the open qualification the same and continue to allow the open anglers in. I dont see why they wont. Extend the field to 100 for a couple years.

I hear it’s the last year on the 3 year contract the BPT guys signed. Personally I think the BPT goes away. Lots of mumbling that they didn’t end up getting anything close to what they were promised in most cases. Plenty of bad blood in some cases with BASS not really wanting some back. Plus it’s extremely boring to me. I tried to watch it and just lost interest. Time will tell.

I was really surprised that Hackney and Christie left BASS in the first place.