ESPN - BASS

[bshaner]

I'll restart this conversation in a different thread so as not to hijack Josh's thread completely.

I really cant give you specifics on this conclusion because it is basically a summarization of thoughts and opinions I've read in various forums.

I can say that the decline in tournament coverage is just one of the pieces of evidence. 

The exporting of the BASS weekend series to ABA is another piece that is being offered up by the "crowd".

Several other internal workings like personnel moves and such...

It just seems that the trend is ESPN distancing itself from Bassmasters.  Almost like they purchased a piece of property and are liquidating it.

I am not saying this is fact or gospel... I am just posing this as a topic for discussion.  My conclusion comes from the opinions of others and some of what I've seen in the recent events.  Nothing real concrete, just speculation.

So discuss it... just do it in a passive - nonaggressive manner.

B

[Cheetam]

This should be interesting...

[bshaner]

I hope so

B

[Revtro]

Yeah, it does kind of seem that way.  I wonder too if the cancellation of many of the bass shows on Saturday are somehow related.  Not sure if it was because of ratings or what you suggested. 

[smbassman]

I think ESPN thought BASS was the next NASCAR and they jumped in head first last year.  They just forgot to realize that unlike NASCAR, fans can participate in the sport by going to the lake and fishing.  That is tougher for a NASCAR fan, so they sit in front of the tube drinking and watching commercials.  BASS fans go fishing and then check results on the internet or tape the shows to watch when they get back. Except for us northern folks waiting on soft water. 

So I don't think ESPN is bailing on BASS, just cutting back to match the sport and its fans.

[bshaner]

SMB,

That does seem very logical, good input.   How many of those NASCAR fans are Bass fishing enthusiasts though?  The market has alot of similarities. You have to wonder though, will this cutting back have a negative affect?  You can clearly see dissatisfaction just from our forum.  Those of us in Michigan who have to wait for the ice to melt are in the minority I am afraid.  The smart marketing targets the majority I guess.  The tourney locations/schedules this past year and coming year speak clearly of that.

Your opinion is the popular one though..."they jumped in head first."  Now they are "cutting back". 

B

[Revtro]

Not to change the subject, but that brings up an interesting thought.  The schedule doesn't reflect the original intent of ESPN to have more tournaments up North.  It's the second year now of the new schedule and no more Northern lakes than last year.  So clearly, something has changed from what they told us 2 years ago.  You're probably right about the marketing thing.  I love Michigan, but sometimes it sucks to be a Michigander.

[fowlmouth]

I wonder how far-reaching the effect will be felt, are guys going to be losing sponsors do to the lost airtime?  I assume alot of the non-fishing industry sponsors jumped on board last year because they saw the coverage and time that ESPN had put into it.

[Skip Johnson]

I won a lifetime B.A.S.S. membership some years back and after the last years worth of events or should I say the lack there of I wrote a letter requesting to discontinue my membership last november, I told them that becouse of the lack of focus on the west coast   northern tour or open and not having a michigan weekend series and handing it off to espn disney and ABA plus theyre lower payouts, I summed it up by telling them that B.A.S.S. will fail FLW and TBF were the future of bass fishing!
was I acting hastily and throwing a fit??? yep!
Do I think Im right? yep!!!!!!

[canvsbk]

The Bassmaster website is the worst on the planet. Slow doesn't even begin to describe the speed and the only links they have that work are linked to the wrong stuff. The weekend series championship was a couple weeks ago and they still don't have the right stuff posted. If you tried to follow it you were actually following LAST YEAR.

It's a pity that so much time and effort was spent by a lot of good men and women to build something that was the best there was only to have it all destroyed in a blink.
Perhaps we will all be lucky and some of the remaining few good soldiers will find a way to make things as they were.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Bassman24]

Bass Fishing and TV - Even though ESPN went in head first, many of the shows I grew up watching were being replaced or removed before their involvement due to TV channel ownership changes. I used to love TNN on Sunday nights.  I could see Orlando, Hank and Roland during a time when I was not fishing and the kids were off to bed.  It was great.  Since then, stations like OLN (now VS) have not really filled the void.  I hardly watch fishing on TV anymore. 

ESPN jumped in and tried to modernize the viewing which I think they did to some extent.  Many of the shows on Saturday's were good to watch, I like the news style format.  But I was not a fan of the Swindle's "Pimp your Boat" crap or Charlie Moore...that was just me though.  I know a lot of guys who liked it. 

I wish we could get back to the grass roots stuff again, like when Bob Cobb was doing B.A.S.S.  We just don't have that voice or face tied into the sport like before.  The last I can remeber was Fish and look what they did to him.  I hope Zona can pave a trail.  I like his demeanor on television (oddly a lot like Fish).  He is fun and informative at the same time.   

The other thing we lack in our state is local fishing shows.  In the south, there are many locals doing shows on local cable stations.  In Michigan, we have the old standbys on PBS.

The fact is, ESPN is about making money and as long as shows like Poker and World Strongest Man continue to draw higher viewing audiences, fishing will take a back seat. 

My $.02.
GT

[1javelin]

I have similar views, and I have to say that this years coverage of the Classic was absolutely terrible.  The links on the page almost always end up in a File 404 not found heading.  To actually see anything or read anything that is in my Bassmaster Magagzine I have to throw extra money at them to be an Insider member.  I don't want an Insider membership, I want a Bassmaster membership.  I want access to it all for one price, not levels.  I think that not only are their downsizing tactics probably going to ruin something great, but it is almost as if they are tring to push guys away from Bassmaster.  I don't understand why they would do it in the first place, and I have no intention of ever hearing an answer, but I know it's not what we all are hoping for.  Maybe if everyone got together and flooded their offices with letters and phonecall complaints, they would consider changing their tune.  Sounds like we need to orgsnize a strike of sorts!!!!

[fowlmouth]

I agree, in fact i called ESPN yesterday and cancelled my BASS/Insider membership. They are so out of touch with BASS that the guy that was trying to talk me into staying asked me if I wanted to lose priority registration for Bassmaster University!

P.S. Welcome to the forum, 1javelin!

[1javelin]

Thank you for the welcome, it means alot.   I would cancel my Bassmaster subscription if I didn't enjoy reading it, but if the coverage gets worse, I may do it anyways and become a member to some other club like FLW or something.  I don't like supporting causes that don't help support themselves.

[225XS4Garza200PXL]

Easy solution... Forget about BASS... and go FLW Outdoors and TBF...

To me BASS has lost its luster... The Classic has lost its luster... I never though i'd say that, but the Classic isn't one of my dreams anymore. I personally don't care what happens in BASS anymore...

After dealing a whole season with FLW Outdoors and getting to know some of the people, I have even less desire to pursue anything with BASS. The people at FLW Outdoors have welcomed anglers with open arms...

They have taken the sport to a whole new level. Weigh-ins this season on the FLW Tour will be held in major arenas like the Bassmaster Classic. When they come to Detroit for the season finale, the weigh-in will be in Cobo Arena.

There are countless other reason why FLW is gonna keep kickin BASS's butt...

[smbassman]

 
I am very surprised and disappointed in the fact that BASS has done and continues to do so much for the sport and in the conservation of the sport and yet people are canceling memberships because their live tournament coverage, their website or the free tackle pack didn't meet their needs!

Did you know BASS has representatives in Washington fighting to review and revise the VHS regulations before it screws up our tournament season.  They don't even have major tournments that would be affected by this.

Have you read your Bass Times and noticed the amount of conservation coverage, the public access issues that started in Louisiana that may affect all of our rights, all the other things BASS is doing for us.

Well, cancel your memberships and run to the FLW.  I hope the TBF does force the FLW to step up to improving our sport and take on some of the responsibility that BASS has taken upon itself.  But that hasn't happened yet.

[ronhuntfish]

       

I am very surprised and disappointed in the fact that BASS has done and continues to do so much for the sport and in the conservation of the sport and yet people are canceling memberships because their live tournament coverage, their website or the free tackle pack didn't meet their needs!

Did you know BASS has representatives in Washington fighting to review and revise the VHS regulations before it screws up our tournament season.  They don't even have major tournments that would be affected by this.

Have you read your Bass Times and noticed the amount of conservation coverage, the public access issues that started in Louisiana that may affect all of our rights, all the other things BASS is doing for us.

Well, cancel your memberships and run to the FLW.  I hope the TBF does force the FLW to step up to improving our sport and take on some of the responsibility that BASS has taken upon itself.  But that hasn't happened yet.

I agree, smbassman!

... I actually had about another paragraph typed in, but erased it.  I think smbassman said enough.

[1javelin]

I'm not trying to make anyone mad, but something has to be done here.  If you look in detail you will notice that the representatives are only BASS affiliates, not BASS itself.  ESPN has nothing to do with conservation of anything except money, and it is showing in what they are doing with coverage, etc...  I'm not cancelling my membership.  I will not pay extra money to read back articles of the Bassmaster that I already pay for, pay extra to watch live weighins that should be live on t.v. anyways(why not, everything else on ESPN is shown live), and to view little audio and video clips.  Why can't this be part of your membership?  I see BASS turning into a circus.  We'll see how it develops, but I do not like the way it looks as if it is going to go. 

[bshaner]

Ok let me throw this thread back on track.

This was never about BASS vs. FLW.  Let's not forget that.  The goal should be to encourage and support both BASS and FLW to promote conservation and the furtherance of our youth anglers.  Who cares which one is your favorite.  We all need to contribute.

This discussion is ESPN's shortfalls in covering and promoting BASS.

I agree with your sentiment whole heartedly SMB, however I dont think ESPN has anything to do with BASS's coservation efforts or VHS.  I'd even go so far as to say that ESPN could care less.

The point here is not to boycott BASS.  Where we should be concentrating efforts (if there are any) is to impress upon BASS that ESPN is not looking out for the best interest of bass angling or BASS as a whole and it's fans.  Cancelling BASS memberships will do nothing but further encourage ESPN to drive BASS into the ground.

In my humble opinion, BASS needs to look to some other venue to promote itself.    WE need to encourage BASS to take a different direction or atleast to regroup and reorganize it's thought process, not kick them in the teeth.


B

[Skip Johnson]

well you guys bring some good points and bass does do alot for conservation and fishermans rights but you dont know BASS as well as some others they have gone too corporate for theyre own good they have never paid any attention to the giant west coast and now dropping the majority of the north as well.
I realise that it takes a corporate giant for $$$$ to fight a good fight but dont forget the little guys that made BASS who they are!

I could go on with more details but I think its wasted energy at this point just watch FLW and who they cater to, they know how bass got to be bass it was us the little guys with the aid of sponsers not the other way around like bass has changed to.

I canceled my membership becouse they have only wanted me for $$$$ and not givin me a fair chance at getting something back being from the north now and previousley the west coast, my mail box already has enough junk and good reads in it if theyre sending me articles that dont focus on my area and no tournaments in my area then why bother being a member when I can send my money to FLW and help make them as big as BASS, if FLW pulls out of my area and offers me nothing I would drop my membership with them as well but as of now its all FLW in our area!

my intent isnt to bring BASS down but to wake them up and honestly the only way to do that with a corporation is to make them realise that something is terribly wrong and theyre losing $$$$$ peaple and support.

I would love to see BASS move back into the north and move into the west coast then I will gladly send them my hard earned$$$$.