Broadcasting

[32eml24]

Watched part of an event last night on the Outdoor Channel.  Nothing near the quality ESPN usually has... is ESPN no longer broadcasting the events or the classic and if so how will this affect bass fishing as a sport? ESPN is huge publicity and in my opinion putting it on the Outdoor Channel is a step down.

[LennyB]

ESPN tried to turn bass fishing into NASCAR and found out it's not. There is just not a big enough draw which is fine by me. The last thing I want to see is 100 bass boats on my favorite lake every time I go out. They wanted to commercialize it so they could turn a big profit. The only one that would have won if that happened would have been them. Just my opinion.

[32eml24]

Thanks for the input, thats a very good point.  So ESPN did in fact drop it then?  And although not a directly related question, I've always wondered why some anglers fish the bassmaster series and others the FLW?  Must be related to the money or format or something, maybe this change from ESPN to the Outdoor Channel will change a few things?

[djkimmel]

Lots of reasons why anglers choose one or the other. Many have to do with sponsor allegiance. It would be a long article to try to cover them all.

Three men - Jerry McKinnis, Don Logan and Jim Copeland - bought B.A.S.S. from ESPN a year and a half ago. During the past year, JM Associates took over all production of the TV shows over starting with Classic 2011. During last year, they also separated their website from the Disney Go.com to their own website service and design.

Overall, I like the direction they are going with B.A.S.S. now. There's quite a bit of discussion though amongst the various people - quite a few - involved in producing the Bassmasters. I think it is still a work in progress. Maybe they'll get all the kinks out this season now that they have completely severed all ties with Disney/ESPN by moving from Celebration FL back to Alabama recently? There's definitely a lot going on with them right now in staff changes and moving everyone.

I just received Classic media info about a week ago from a new person.

[32eml24]

Thanks a lot for the insight.  Lots of politics behind the end product that we watch on TV, just like any other business I guess.  I think the great thing about broadcasting bass fishing is it helps people make a living at doing what they love and hopefully it stays that way for a long time because it's an awesome sport.

[djkimmel]

It is a critical part of the overall success of the sport. I always wish to see a great product just like anyone else. I do try to find out some things about behind the scenes when I can. I've always been interested in the 'how it's made' type stuff. I share what I can.

[dartag]

The Outdoor channel did a re-broadcast of last years classic today.  They had to fuzzy out the ESPN logo on the micraphones.  Wonder if they hired the guy from the Girls gone wild infomercial.   

[Redbone]

The Outdoor channel did a re-broadcast of last years classic today.  They had to fuzzy out the ESPN logo on the micraphones.  Wonder if they hired the guy from the Girls gone wild infomercial.   

That didnt make any sence to me. We all know what the logo they were covering up was.  If anything, that drew my attention to it.

[djkimmel]

I wonder if ESPN made them do that? Otherwise, not sure off the top of my head.

Well, actually, maybe The Outdoor Channel didn't want to help promote a competitor?

[dartag]

Probably the lawyers got involved.   It was only day 1 so there should be 2 more shows.