TTO vs Champs payouts....

So was thumbing through the Facebook yesterday and saw a post talking about a team trial event and how well it paid. Started doing a little research and was shocked. Champs is really the only thing to compare it to, but look at TTO with their payout. How can they payout more than they take in? Sponsor dollars? I’d think champs has similar if not more sponsor dollars. Look at the 2nd,3rd and 4th place payout based on a similar field. Interesting to say the least. Not doing this to say ones better than the other, but just amazes me at how TTO is paying their anglers more than they take in.

For simple math just calculating entry free x entries I know the payout can change since Bass Champs counts prizes on their website and TTO doesn’t have that info but has contingency and prizes as well.
TTO Fork
Entries: 177
Collected $49k
PB- $54k

Champs Belton
Entries:189
Collected 61k
PB- $51250

Both are great trails and exceptionally well run.

Absolutely agree I’ve fished both and both were top notch. I guess I’m just surprised by the payout with TTO

Can't ask for much better than that. I'm seeing 97% payback on the Basschamps site. Plus they have two sweet boats at their championship.

The one thing your missing here is that total includes bonuses. Many go unclaimed due to not qualifying for them. If you look at those totals week after week they will change constantly.

Are you saying the money not paid out at champs is used for the championship? Or Saying champs pays out better for the field?

Bonus money counts toward total. Unclaimed is unclaimed since its third party money. It’s not saved because it’s not theirs. They encourage people to do what they can to qualify for bonuses but that is still up to the individual anglers.

Their championship is definitely nice, but how many anglers competing for those 2 boats?

Never said bass champs doesn’t pay well, just saying TTO is honestly paying well throughout the field on a $220 entry without side pot. They have a nice championship too tho, 60 anglers competing for 20 grand first and 15 grand second is pretty dang good

Always good to have options as a angler for sure

There is a side pot

I know, I meant The entry is $220 if you don’t get into the side pot for a chance at 15 grand

Thank you for your post. We always encourage anglers to run the numbers.
There’s a “stats” tab on the link.

http://www.basschamps.com/results.cfm?tournament_id=329&type=team&yearSelected=2020

You guys were just the only thing to compare to in terms of size for Texas. Never claimed yalls championship didn’t pay well. My post was to highlight the payout on a TTO regular season event and how I was shocked they paid out more than they took in. Not a dig as bass champs. Different organizations run different ways, and that’s the wonderful thing about fishing, people have options

Both are great trails.


Basschamps has had tournaments in the past where they paid out more then they took in as well. TTO’s first place prize is sponsored money and all entry fees go to the remaining payouts.

Agree. And that makes sense thanks! That explains the great payout for the remaining places

I see you chose not to compare the Champs @ Fork to the TTO @ Fork, why is that. They were at the same lake a week apart. I suspect If you broke out the sponsor money @TTO that has built in but isn’t visible, it’s likely closer in percentages.

I looked at the ‘20 TTO championship (congrats Joe an Joel) and looks like Champs pays more for just 2nd place at their championship than the whole TTO field got paid for that tournament.

I didn’t pull out a calculator, but looked like champs paid at least $1000 out to 43 places. TTO paid $1000 to 13th and $500 at 22nd. Hard to just look at percentages as to who has the better payout. I guess if you finish in the money I rather be fishing Champs, and if you aren’t in the money they both stink.

There were 300+ teams at fork, of course they paid more places I was Using similar field sizes. Champs paid 25 places in their belton event. My point was TTO was paying out way more money then they took in, and second place paying almost 8k (almost double what champs paid in field with more anglers) it’s hard to win any event, the fact the other places paid so well were what caught my eye. With a $220 entry fee at that.

Regarding the championship, they paid 15k to first first in a field of 60 anglers, I’ve seen working mans with that many entries. How many were in champs 200? Big difference. No one questions what Bass Champs pays out, it’s obviously a huge payout at their championship for the 2 anglers who end up first and second.

And like it’s been said both are great, it’s a good place to be to have access to both if you wish I noticed A lot of anglers fish both trails.

Man... are we lucky or what? To have 2 top notch trails like this that can coexist in our area is just awesome.

The post, whether intended to or not, is 100% calling out the most tenured kick butt tournament trail in Texas on their payouts. There are many things involved.. if your truly concerned and wanting to get the info I’d suggest calling or emailing the folks at Basschamps.

Well said Matt, I am very impressed by both and can honestly say that I wouldn’t do what they are doing for what they are making.

I was at both and one observation was “these guys have some expenses”

And........I can take a weekend off, they can’t

Yep, while everyone else gets to fish these guys are dealing with what they have to deal with.... TDs deserve a hug and a beer in addition to whatever they make. Imho.

I think Champs is the best ran/ produced trail in the US and Chad and Jeff have done a fantastic job listening to their anglers and trying to provide the trails they want.

While I understand the attempt of the original post, it’s hard not to compare other trails to champs because they are the standard bearer.

As for the “they work so hard”, easy on that. I’d bet that most folks running tournaments don’t work as hard as the folks that fish those tournaments, it’s just different work. Weekends vs weekdays, setting up, traveling to a location, etc. Bounce tourney TD against being a police officer, plumber, dock worker, water restoration, etc.

Truly appreciate the time and effort it takes to put on these events from all involved!

Champs also pays like 1k down to 40th place at the championship I believe

Exactly! I know as a Fork guy we are blessed to have not only Bass Champs there. But now TTO as well. That’s a $20k and $15k tournament back to back.

Very well put sir, and can see that it looks that way. More than anything wanted to highlight TTO, and champs is the only thing to compare it to.

I saw it as asking a question - a viable question.
IF someone took it as something else then maybe they have a problem. Questioning how payback works is never a bad thing.

TTO has stated that first place is paid by sponsors, and 2nd- is based off entry fees. TTO also recognizes Basschamps and Mediabass and states that we should should support all local trails as they are professionally ran and need our support to continue. Donnie and Darryl have entered this market with the utmost respect for the other trails, and that says a lot about their character and professionalism. Ive know both for centuries, it seems. Donnie used to run the night tournaments many moons ago that my father fished. I am thankful for the opportunity to donate money to all yall excellent anglers competing in these two organizations. Both of the two mentioned are pretty transparent in their payouts and will sit down with your over a beer and talk about it if desired, and they have the time. kudos to both organizations!

I show TTO paid out $43,800 which includes big bass. I'm a big fan of TTO and Basschamos and fish both trails.

I think you've added in the sidepot money in your total.

To the OP are you questioning where the money is going? Not to condemn or defend either trail, they both are businesses and businesses are in business to turn a profit.

I mean do you go to Academy and/or BassPro and ask them what their margins are on particular products that you buy at either store?

Both trails are trying to provide the best experience to their customers while maximizing their profits.

Yes. The OP's calculations are not correct.

Both trails have similar payouts which are some of the best of any trails out there.

Not at all, not condemning anything, and don’t know how you even came to that conclusion. I run a business and don’t tell customers my margins. If anything shocked they payout more than they take in. And was just as shocked that TTO paid 8 grand to second place with a 170 boat field with a $220 entry in a regular season event. It makes sense now how they’re able to do that with added sponsor money.

I’m shocked that you think TTO Paid out 8 grand for second on a $220 entry, and even more shocked you keep repeating it as though it was the truth. That is not what happened, maybe go back and review your numbers.

What, no love for the Texas Team Trail???... Dan

Wish basschamps would cut off payouts at about 20 deep.