BASS makes a change clubs need to know

[djkimmel]

The federations received this letter from BASS by email on 2/9/06 from BASS national federation director Gary Jones. It is a new change/clarification from BASS that is different from BASS' original comments that clubs could affiliate with whomever they wanted including multiple partnerships. They are now saying they can't allow that in a direct, same-club arrangement. The letter does address how BASS will allow clubs to have other affiliations.

BASS says this latest change is in response to a printed undated document (they sent the presidents a jpg copy of this document) from TBF that frankly looks old like it may be from the beginnings of the TBF. I do not know why this document is coming out at this time as an issue. I haven't seen it anywhere, but BASS says "pro-TBF/FLW" state leadership is distributing it. I'm not sure why they would. Very strange, some of this stuff. You can see the jpg copy BASS sent us here if you want to.

BASS also included a document they are calling a 'BASS Federation Nation State Letter of Authorization' that Gary Jones says the federations must sign and return by March 1, 2006 to BASS. It only looks like BASS' standard authorization agreement for using and limitations for their trademarks and service marks, but Gary refers to it as a 'formal agreement letter' so we are a little confused. Regardless, we can't sign it as a federation until after the March 12 vote (I told Gary this when I spoke to him) so we aren't sure what, if anything, this will mean.

Gary states that clubs who have sent in dues will also get a similar letter to sign. Here is the text of the BASS club affiliation letter:
--
"Dear Fellow B.A.S.S. Angler:Many of you have been asking questions arising out of the initiatives recently mounted by The Bass Federation Inc. (TBF). One question in particular merits a written answer, circulated to all of our members.  That question is:  can a B.A.S.S.-affiliated club, at any level, affiliate with the TBF?  The answer to that is ?no.?  May you set up a separate, non-B.A.S.S. club that affiliates with another competitive entity such as TBF/FLW?  Of course.  You just can?t use the umbrella of your B.A.S.S.-affiliated club to do that.  Individuals, as always, are free to affiliate with any number of organizations they desire to be part of, whether TBF, Fishers of Men, Anglers? Choice, American Bass Association (ABA), or similar organizations.

Central to the relationship between B.A.S.S. and its Federation is a license by B.A.S.S. of the right to use B.A.S.S. logos and trademarks.  Over many years, B.A.S.S. has developed a strong identity and great goodwill:  in tournament staging and televising, publications, conservation, youth and a host of other activities.  We have enjoyed a fabulous, mutually cooperative relationship with Federation members in advancing these activities.  This relationship, we believe, requires that our Federation organizations, at all levels, be singularly committed to the Federation Nation.  Dual organizational affiliation with a membership organization which is related to a commercial entity that competes with B.A.S.S. defeats that goal.  It also creates a misleading and unacceptable association between B.A.S.S. and that organization.  This applies to TBF/FLW, and any similar multi-tiered organization seeking to sanction your club if that organization is affiliated with a commercial entity in competition with B.A.S.S.

Therefore, if a State Federation or other B.A.S.S. Federation group at any level elects to affiliate with TBF or any other commercially-affiliated entity competitive with B.A.S.S., B.A.S.S. will terminate that group?s B.A.S.S. Agreement.

Does this mean your group cannot solicit sponsors?  Absolutely not. You are still free to have sponsors ? even if they are not sponsors of B.A.S.S.

What happens if your State organization elects to affiliate with TBF and your local club wants to stay with B.A.S.S.?  B.A.S.S. will facilitate information exchange between, and provide reasonable assistance to, B.A.S.S. clubs who have to form a new State B.A.S.S. - affiliated Federation.  What if you?ve already affiliated with TBF but want to stay with B.A.S.S.?  Then you?ll have to form a new B.A.S.S. club.  In either case, just give us a call at (407) 566-2277.  The terms of your B.A.S.S. affiliation, whether new or continuing, are attached and are the same as those that we?ve been using for years.

We hope this behindists you in making a reasoned decision. Sincerely,

Don Rucks
Vice President and General Manager
B.A.S.S."

The Michigan federation has requested some further clarification and is waiting to hear.

If you want to see the actual letter and you have MS Word, you can view it here.

If you have Adobe pdf, you can see the 'BASS Federation Nation State Letter of Agreement' here.

[Revtro]

To some degree, I think I understand this move.  However, on another level it seems like B.A.S.S. is trying to force clubs hands on this one.  I'm not sure I like the way this all sounds personally.  Hmmm. 

[djkimmel]

I've been anxious about this whole deal all along - one of those - 'it's going to get worse before it gets better' kind of deals. I personally hate to see anything that makes more people want to be independent (as I'm sure showed in my post about being a member verses not - just something I feel strongly about).

It's no different when things happen that make less people vote, or want to be a part of the solution.

I sure would like to see us come through this with the least amount of disruption... somehow.

[Revtro]

I agree.  I wish that this letter didn't cause clubs to feel like they have to choose between one or the other.  I think this action may actually cause more disruption at the club level in the long run because it may cause division in clubs between people who want to go with one or the other. 

[djkimmel]

That is one of my definite fears (and not just me)

[Savage]

I'm really not surprised that this move was finally made.  I tnow seems that a club has a choice to make, but there will be no middle ground.  What a pain it would be to form and keep up a 2nd club.....

I wonder which way the majority will go?