Evans Steps Down As President And CEO Of FLW Outdoors

[djkimmel]

Evans Steps Down As President And CEO Of FLW Outdoors

MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 10, 2010) – FLW Outdoors announced Wednesday that Charlie Evans has stepped down as President and CEO. The announcement comes following a highly successful Forrest Wood Cup in Duluth, Ga., where Walmart announced a new long-term title sponsorship agreement and FLW Outdoors Chairman Irwin L. Jacobs introduced T. Boone Pickens as a new equity partner in the company.

Read entire news release here: http://www.greatlakesbass.com/tournaments/index.php/2010/08/10/evans-steps-down-as-president

[djkimmel]

This is something of a surprise although there is no question that the tournament fishing industry has been in a very tough period the past few seasons as Charlie Evans points out. Irwin Jacobs will take over as CEO. Other promotions announced.

[DDBethke]

Got to be a good move so long as the bring in more youth to MC the events...

[Dan]

I don't think Charlie saw this coming. He said on stage during the Cup that he was looking forward to a long future with FLW. Sounds like they gave him a good severance package so that he left happy.

[Puma]

I have zero trust or respect for Jacobs.  I think he is a snake in the grass and only out for himself, I shudder at what will happen with FLW and BASS with him involved.  He sure did nothing for the bass boat industry. 

[djkimmel]

He's not involved with BASS is he?

I would definitely not say he's done nothing. He's the driving force behind the changes that created the competition forcing top prizes astronomically higher. Remember just a few years ago when the Bassmaster Classic winner received $50,000?

Costs have gone up too, but during the top end of the curve, winnings have been much higher and even the Fantasy Fishing winner would get $1,000,000! Moves unpopular with some have been tried to get to that point, but he was behind bringing in big non-endemic sponsors that made all that possible.

I run my own business so I know how hard it is to make money. How much work is involved. The past few years have been brutal for so very many companies and industries in particular as we all know.

Even without this very tough economic period, the fishing industry itself is just not big enough to get us where we need to be to consider making a living at the sport realistic for large numbers of people. The window of opportunity is still so very small. I'm hoping all the changes of the past few weeks will get us heading back in the right direction again after the beating the sport took during the bad economic times.

I would also like to see the PAA get stronger and stable, to come close to meeting there original goals and plans. That finally seems to be realistic.

We really need the competition and the ability to bring in strong support from throughout the business community. Irwin Jacobs has done the best at that. The only ways for more anglers to have a shot at bigger prizes is to attract more companies with big budgets to back them, or to raise entry fees so high that almost no one can afford to pay them.

When the entry fees get so high, only the few already rich anglers can afford to fish them and keep going, or the few who are able to attract big dollars from big companies on their own - I don't know if everyone realizes how much harder that is getting, particularly in the fishing industry. How many anglers have dropped out over the past few years with more doing so this year.

To me, this means, we need more non-endemic companies with bigger promotional budgets attracted to our sport for any realistic shot at larger numbers of anglers to become professionals. I would love to see that. It is still the number one question I get asked to this day privately - how do I become a pro angler?

Right now, frankly, the odds are very, very, very long.

[Puma]

I love a forum like this where good reasonable discussion can be aired.  Wow, you made some good points Dan.

Prize moneys have increased, I will give you that for sure.  I have run businesses in the private and public sectors and you are correct, it is tough.  But I never wanted to make a buck at the expense of someone else.  I applaud and welcome competition as it is usually good, however, we have all seen the affects of the big box stores moving in and shutting down the mom and pop stores, then raising their prices the next day. 

I hope this new money in the FLW is meant to increase, what have been lacking compared to other sports, really good payouts and not just a 'big box store ploy' to get rid of BASS and the PAA, and then make it worse for the anglers in the end.

It is so true regarding the difficulty for some to make it into the pro ranks, not nearly as bad as some sports, such as NASCAR, but it is difficult.  What is worse is I fear that our sport is slowly dying.  I have heard reports that the average age of folks buying a new bass boat is at or near 50.  Those of us in that age group won't be buying many more boats and unless the FLW and BASS find a way to infuse a LOT more young people into the sport, it will go away.

Kind of a derailment of the header of the post and apologize for that, it just got a bit sidetracked.

Blessings...

[djkimmel]

I don't think our sport is dying. Just a very difficult time for change with some very recent signs of better things to come. I have my fingers crossed. (And my toes)