George Cochran, a longtime Mercury pro, has switched to Evinrude outboards. And he picked up a new major sponsor – Wal-Mart. The engine move isn't surprising, since he'll fish the FLW Tour and Series next year, rather than the Bassmaster Elite Series. Evinrude sponsors FLW Outdoors, as does Ranger (his boat sponsor). And Wal-Mart title sponsors the FLW Tour and Series.
"I wrote Mercury a real nice letter before I ever signed with Evinrude," he said. "It was a move I had to make. Everything I do with Wal-Mart and Ranger Boats involves Evinrude. And Mercury understood. I loved Mercury, and would never say a bad word about them, but I'm really excited about my opportunities with Evinrude."
About his new Wal-Mart sponsorship, he said: "Since 1987 I've been buying stock in Wal-Mart, so I believe in the company. They're strong, and they're going to treat me real good. I'm excited for the opportunity to work for a huge company like Wal-Mart and wear their shirt. I already have several workdays scheduled for them. I'll at the Okeechobee store in a few weeks, for instance."
