All competitive anglers need to take a look in the mirror in regard to the state of the sport and their income. FLW, PAA and B.A.S.S. do not have our best interest in mind, only their bottom line.
Here is a snippet of an article from Pro Cycling that should resonate with anyone who wants to fish for a living and actually have a future.
Marvin Miller (father of the baseball union) cites the contract that Topps, a baseball-card manufacturer, had players sign while they were still in the minor leagues: 5 dollars for 5 years of rights to their images.
“Five bucks!” Miller exclaims, his voice still shaking with astonishment at the rawness of the deal. He used this crummy contract, which all the players signed, as an educational tool.
He recalls telling the players that the thrill of appearing on the same bubble gum cards they cherished as kids blinded them to being taken advantage of. When Miller explained that their sense of awe was “part of the exploitation, and how much money Topps and other companies were making off their willingness to sign up and give these companies the right to their picture, they understood.”
The analogy here is not a reach: Every pro dreams of racing the Tour de France. Once that opportunity is there, it would seem madness to strike at that honor, even if today’s riders, like yesterday’s baseball players, are getting a raw deal.
“We started a boycott of Topps,” Miller recalls. And in short order the company was forced to improve the terms of its licensing contract. “It was a great experience” for the players, Miller notes. “They saw what solidarity could do.”
When Miller first approached Topps to discuss “a realistic contract that would pay the players an appropriate amount,” he was dismissed in much the same way Jonathan Vaughters was when he proposed television revenue sharing with Tour de France owner Amaury Sport Organisation.
Chuckling, Miller recalls that Topps’ company president “came to my office and he heard me out.” The novelty card executive then laid out the facts for Miller: “Look, I understand what you are saying, but I don’t see your muscle.”
Miller reported the conversation back to the players and they initiated a policy of no players signing any new contracts with Topps.
Suddenly bereft of rookie playing cards and stars that would not renew their expiring agreements, Miller says the Topps president phoned him for another meeting. He came in, Miller recalls with a laugh, and “the first thing he said was, ‘I see your muscle.’”
Does the person in the mirror need to tell you what you already know? You're being exploited!
