Along with the rest of the bass-fishing world, the 20 Bassmaster Elite Series anglers who run Triton boats learned yesterday that the long-rumored sale of the company from Brunswick to Platinum Equity had become a reality. Now they'll wait to find out what happens next.
The announcement a few hours later that Triton founder Earl Bentz and the key members of his team
would remain with the operation was welcome news for the anglers. Nonetheless, there's a great deal of uncertainty regarding their individual contracts and questions as to whether the pro staff will be reduced. Also, several expressed sympathy for the workers at the Ashland City, Tenn. plant who'll likely lose their jobs (or at the very least be forced to move in order to retain them) as the manufacturing process relocates to Flippin, Ark. to join Ranger and Stratos.
Guy Eaker, who retired from Elite Series competition this year, has been aligned with Bentz for 35 years and has run a Triton since the brand was introduced in 1996. His initial reaction was concern for the company's longtime employees.
"Some of those people, that's all they've ever done, and to have to go out and find another job could be tough to do," he said. "I've talked to a lot of them already and asked them if they'd go (to Arkansas) if they got an offer. Most of them said they'd like to stay in the boat business, but that was a decision they were going to have to make."
Randy Howell, who was a member of the original Triton pro staff along with Eaker, Ron Shuffield and Ray Sedgwick, expressed some trepidation about the sale but was thrilled to learn that Bentz would be staying on.
"Earl has been a great help to me my whole career – he's given me a lot of good advice and taught me a lot about the sport and the industry," he said. "With him staying involved and still having a hand in it, everything should be okay.
"His is a name that people trust and if he wasn't there, some people might start to get a little nervous."
Here's a sampling of what some other Triton pros had to say.
Brent Chapman
"I'm anxious to hear what's going to come about because it's essentially my future. The thing I look at is that companies don't usually buy other companies to do something bad, they do it to do something positive, and their pros are a way to make something positive.
"But until I have another boat sitting beside the one I have now, I won't be selling my old one."
Stephen Browning
"I just hope that my 12 years with them will count for something and they'll keep me high on the totem pole. I'm very pleased with the deal I have now – I got a little cutback last year, but that was expected because of the economy. If it stays the same, I'll be perfectly happy.
"I hope to hear something soon, though. This is definitely something that you don't want to wait until the last minute to get lined up for next season."
Paul Elias
"The only thing I can say is I've enjoyed all my years with Triton and I look forward to working with the new people, and I'd just hope they maintain the status quo. I certainly wouldn't expect a raise, but I'd love to see them keep the pro staff in order and go on with business."
Byron Velvick
"I've been with Triton for about 8 years now, and I can only hope that (the new owners) see my ability to market, promote and help generate sales. It's a relationship that's been steady and stable and I've worked with a lot of great people, and I hope a lot of them stay on.
Like the other Triton pros, Stephen Browning would be more than happy if his deal with the company remains the same for 2011.
"It's the best relationship I've ever had with a boat company, and I hope to continue promoting them through both tournament fishing and outdoor programming."
Casey Ashley
"I don't know anything about (Platinum Equity) or the direction they want to go with it. My first reaction is it might not be good to have all those boats under the same roof, but maybe it'll end up helping us.
"I think we all hope that (the individual deals) will stay the same. We definitely don't want to see it go the other way, and that's what we're scared of."
Davy Hite
"I don't know anything about Platinum Equity, but I hope they know a little bit about me and my ability to help sell bass boats. I look forward to talking to them in the future, but it's hard to say anything when we haven't danced yet."
Kevin Wirth
"It's a little bit of a shocker to me. It could put a lot of people out of work and I've got my mind focused on that, and I wish there was something that could be done about it. The rest of it is kind of in a holding pattern.
"I'm glad Earl will still be there because he's the guy who knows how to make the whole thing tick and he knows how to make those boats work."
Fred Roumbanis
"I have no idea what to think right now. I wanted to call (the company) today, but I'm sure they were bombarded. I'll wait a little bit and maybe talk to some of the other anglers. Hopefully it'll be a good thing.
"It's a little bit of a scary time and I just hope they want to stay with the guys who've been with them."
