https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Morning-Buzz/2020/11/17/Bassmaster.aspx


This references about BASS being paid by Fox. In addition in the podcaet referenced above Fox mentions they pursued BASS to fill that programming niche as they wanted to incresee tgeir outdoir programming as well as offer live events to test tgat component. Tgey may actually incresse their investment time wise from what I recall.

Nah, when Rayo Breckenridge went off the air I was depressed for a month... Dan

Mark, at 17:10 in the video in the OP, the host asks Bill Wanger, EVP of Programming for Fox Sports, “how did this come to be, can you talk about that?” (Paraphrasing.)

“BASS was working with an agency, and Doug Perlman, who runs his own shop, approached us and asked if we’d be interested.”

There is no way to interpret “approached us” other than BASS approached Fox. Doug Perlmanis the founder and CEO of Sports Media Advisors and lists BASS as a client:

https://www.sportsmediaadvisors.com/clients

Edited to add: Two things can be true. Bass could have pursued a deal with Fox and the deal reached could have Fox paying BASS. They’re not mutually exclusive.

If the EVP of Programming at Fox misspoke when he said BASS, through its agency, reached out to Fox, that’s a pretty big miss on his part. Two more things can be true: Fox wanted to fill a niche with more live programming that compliments other live programming they have, and BASS approached Fox.

In my experience, that’s how deals get done. Both sides want/need something, somehow they come together (whether the buyer or the seller approaches the other, sometimes it’s an intermediary hired by one of the parties, maybe it’s a third party looking to get involved or acting in some other self interest) and both parties benefit. If Fox didn’t want programming like BASS offers, they either wouldn’t have done a deal or they would have a very different looking deal (like BASS not being paid for the rights because Fox just needed to fill a time slot, but didn’t really need or want live fishing). Of course they understood it compliments the rest of their programming. I believe him, so I’m not saying this is the case, but I wouldn’t expect the EVP of Programming to admit they added programming that didn’t make sense to their model.

Yes, I know who Doug Perlman is and what SMA does. It’s pretty clear, really:

Rights and Negotiations Values: Participating in television and digital media rights negotiations on behalf of leagues, teams, governing bodies and other properties and/or distribution outlets.

https://www.sportsmediaadvisors.com/services

Fox was looking for live programming to compliment their already-contracted lie programming, which includes NASCAR and bowling. Bill Wanger said in the video you posted that BASS is a complimentary fit to racing and bowling because many of their viewers are in the Midwest and south and like those sports. He said it shortly before he said, “BASS was working with an agency, and Doug Perlman, who runs his own shop, approached us and asked if we’d be interested.”

I like BASS and MLF, but like I said previously, watching fishing on TV makes up less than 1% of my annual TV viewing. I’m a casual viewer of both. I think both having a TV deal is great for the sport, I’m just not biased and grinding an axe like you.

The other podcast had conflicting statements but no big deal. I have been wrong before so I am probably wrong on this...lol...Sounds like both entities were looking abd it woried out great. Good to see BASS getting paid as well. That is good for the industry.

I’ve been wrong too. Agree that it’s good to see BASS getting paid and expanding its footprint.

If BASS is getting paid, maybe they'll help their participants by significantly lowering their entry fees? I watch BASS, MLF/BPT/FLW, College fishing, local trails. If it's tournament fishing I watch it no matter the format. No dog in the hunt. Just like to watch Mr O pound his chest. What a fool

I would hope the anglers are the beneficiary of some of it, and by default I think they will be. At same time I think they need to reinvest the money into the business and make their affiliated feeder leagues more organized, unified, and solidified. They are going to want that cleaned up sooner rather than later considering the trajectory of the MLF implosion. They’ve already increased the amount of divisions and tournaments in the Opens for 2021, but they have the kayak league, the BASS Nation, etc... that all needs shoring up. I think the Fox media deal by default benefits the individual anglers by way of huge independent opportunities to the anglers as it relates to the increased amount of brands making sponsorships available. It’s a good time to be an angler fishing under the BASS brand.

Isn’t the fool one who had high visibility and name recognition in an iconic and stable tournament circuit, but left it because they believed someone’s story that they could go fish another tournament trail and would have no entry fees? Or do you call that person smart? How’d that work out for them?

Maybe not entry fees, but just getting live TV coverage will help them make more money from sponsors. Maybe if it goes good the BASS can adjust payouts or entry fees. I hope it works awesome. Just need people to tune in thru fox when it's available instead of bassmaster web site.

Oh gosh its a sickness, not being able to complete a positive thought about BASS and let it stand alone without bashing another series.

We were reliably informed that - more exposure on TV - doesn’t matter to sponsors and that’s not how any of this works. 😂

FYI, none of this matters until we see ratings on FOX for these. Big O can speculate and over dramatize this deal until his fingers bleed but it won’t matter if the ratings suck.

To be continued...

The gravitas that Fox sports brings to the table is unrivaled. The ratings they will deliver will dwarf anything MLF has been able to produce even on their worst day. I don’t think anyone is concerned for a second what the ratings will be. My guess is the arrangement is already starting to pay dividends to BASS and the anglers alike.

Obviously BOF has a bone to pick with MLF, it would be interesting to know what happened. I’m guessing she was denied the job of wiping down competitor boats at the end of the day.

Hey, those big time bass pros might be big tippers... Show some skin and it might be a pretty paying job... Dan