BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Longtime B.A.S.S. partner Bass Pro Shops will expand its sponsorship of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail for 2022, officials announced today. As part of a new multiyear agreement, Bass Pro Shops has stepped up to be a premier sponsor for the B.A.S.S. Tournament Trail, including the Bassmaster Elite Series and the iconic Bassmaster Classic, has taken over title sponsorship of the Bassmaster Team Championship and will continue as presenting sponsor of the Bassmaster College Series.
“For decades, B.A.S.S. and Bass Pro Shops have shared a vision to get more people on the water and fishing, and we deeply appreciate their continued partnership as they elevate their sponsorship of the Bassmaster Tournament Trails to the premier level,” said B.A.S.S. CEO Chase Anderson. “Their sponsorship and support for both college anglers and for team trail and grass-roots anglers from across the country are invaluable.”
B.A.S.S. will participate in the World’s Fishing Fair March 30-April 3, 2022 at the Bass Pro Shops National Headquarters in Springfield, Mo. The event is set to feature a host of deals, an all-star lineup of country music stars, fishing pros, NASCAR legends, outdoor personalities and national conservation leaders, and 50% of proceeds will be given back to conservation.
“As a young angler, fishing in the first national B.A.S.S. tournament on Table Rock Lake served as my inspiration for starting Bass Pro Shops,” said Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and founder of Bass Pro Shops. “Now, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bass Pro Shops this year, our expanded partnership brings it full circle. We’re excited to work alongside our friends at B.A.S.S. to further elevate the sport of fishing, connect folks to nature and invest in conservation.”
Bass Pro Shops is renowned for their prolific support of grass-roots anglers, and the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Team Championship offers a path to the Bassmaster Classic for one amateur competitor. Founded in 2014, the Team Championship starts with the same simple concept as most team events around the country. Two friends fish for two days out of the same boat for bass that will go in the same livewell. The team with the heaviest total weight wins the national team championship. The six anglers from the Top 3 teams are sent back onto the lake for a two-day solo competition, which pits partners against partners as well as anglers from the other teams. The winning individual earns a berth in the Classic.
The Strike King Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops is off to a record-breaking start through two events. Brothers Lafe and Matt Messer of Kentucky Christian University won the Bassmaster College Series at Harris Chain of Lakes with a two-day total of 61 pounds, 13 ounces. The Messers’ Day 2 weight of 36-7 broke the College Series single-day record. Their winning weight also broke the Series’ two-day catch record.
College Series events have been an incredible tool for encouraging youth fishing participation across the country, and they’re beginning to have a pronounced effect on the highest levels of professional bass fishing. Since B.A.S.S. started the circuit in 2013, there has been a 97% growth in the number of participating schools and clubs at the college level.
Under the agreement, Bass Pro Shops joins sister brands Nitro and Ranger as a premier sponsor of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and the Bassmaster Classic through 2024. Triton, another sister brand, has partnered with B.A.S.S. as a supporting sponsor.
As a Series and Tournament Trail sponsor, Bass Pro Shops will be featured in B.A.S.S.’s industry-leading publications Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines as well as on social media. During Bassmaster LIVE, which airs on Bassmaster.com and the FOX Sports platforms — as well as across the magazines and social media — fans can watch for “Top Lures presented by Bass Pro Shops.” This special segment will focus on what baits the pros are using and what will work best for upcoming events.