FLW announced today that it has reached a sponsorship agreement with Phoenix Boats, giving Phoenix title sponsorship of the FLW Bass Fishing League, beginning in 2020.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the deal effectively ends Ranger Boats' lengthy run as the official boat of FLW.
“The partnership with FLW and the Bass Fishing League is a perfect fit for Phoenix Boats,” said Gary Clouse, president of Phoenix Boats and a Bassmaster Elite Series competitor. “I know from personal experience from fishing my first BFL in 1981 and many more since that the FLW platform delivers a great angler experience at each of their 128 tournaments. That alone makes this a perfect fit for Phoenix.”
The Phoenix Bass Fishing League will encompass 24 divisions devoted to weekend anglers with five tournaments in each division plus six no-entry-fee regional championships, a no-entry-fee wild card championship and the prestigious no-entry-fee All-American that pays $100,000 to the winning boater and $50,000 to the winning co-angler. The 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League All-American will be held April 30 through May 2 at Lake Hartwell in Anderson, S.C.
The highest-finishing boater and co-angler from each regional championship and the wild card at the All-American also qualify for the 2020 FLW Series Championship where pros compete for a $200,000 first-place award and co-anglers fish for a new Phoenix bass boat. The top 45 boaters and co-anglers plus tournament winners from each Phoenix Bass Fishing League division earn priority entry into the FLW Series, the pathway to the FLW Pro Circuit and ultimately the MLF Bass Pro Tour, where top pros compete with no entry fees.
“We built our company around delivering a positive customer experience, and FLW is a natural fit with that," Clouse said. "FLW tournaments are known for their family-type feel, and they have always treated their fans, customers and employees with respect and genuine care, and that is really important to us. We know that anglers will have a great experience fishing the Phoenix Bass Fishing League."
In addition to its title sponsorship, Phoenix Boats will also receive exposure across all FLW platforms, including the FLW Pro Circuit, FLW Series, FLW College Fishing and FLW High School Fishing, on-site activation, FLWFishing.com, FLW Live on-the-water and weigh-in streams, social media, FLW Bass Fishing magazine and the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, which will air 312 hours of programming in 2020 on the Outdoor Channel and the Sportsman Channel.
“FLW is excited to start our partnership with Phoenix, a brand known for its performance, reliability and commitment to tournament anglers,” said Kathy Fennel, FLW Executive Vice President and General Manager. “The team at Phoenix is committed to expanding the sport at the grassroots level, and we look forward to building on this mutually beneficial partnership to do exactly that.”
Registration for the 2020 Phoenix Bass Fishing League opens at 8 a.m. CT on Dec. 9 . For more details, visit FLWFishing.com. The season kicks off Jan. 4 at Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Brookeland, Texas.
Details on a lucrative enhanced Phoenix First Flight contingency program for FLW anglers will be announced soon.
