Photo: ESPN Outdoors
ESPN fires BASS GM Don Rucks in August 2006 after a 23-month tenure. Cancels BassCenter on the same day.
(Editor's note: This is part 3 of a 3-part story that chronicles, in timeline form, major milestones and events during the ESPN era of BASS. To read part 1, click here. For part 2, click here).
Year 2006 – Elite Success, Management Shakeups, Cost-Cutting Measures
January 4 – PAA event in Texas a go. Toyota named as primary backer.
January 9 – Meetings begin prior to Federation National Championship in Celebration, Fla. Jacobs offers multi-million-dollar proposal for Federation to affiliate with FLW. BassFan offers proposal to Federation
to handle media and enhance benefits through BassFan Army and Weekend Warrior Championship. First meeting between BASS and Federation presidents turns confrontational. Rucks leads morning meeting, Godleski leads afternoon session. Plan for future of Federation to be presented the following day.
January 10 – Rucks apologizes for tone the previous day and presents the Federation Nation proposal to presidents. Communication and atmosphere improve. Highlights of BASS's Federation plan for 2007 and beyond include the new BASS Federation Nation Bass Club World Championship. Also, the current divisional tournament structure will be eliminated and replaced by a format under which each state and international Federation send champions directly to BASS Federation Championship (similar to the state champions tournament TBF had been talking about). BASS will pay travel expenses for each qualifier and his/her spouse. Six Classic berths to be awarded at Federation Championship. Other perks include free BASS Insider membership with a dedicated Insider Federation section, additional conservation and youth programs, a Federation member-services hotline and states are free to sell their own sponsorships for state support.
January 12 – Of the 46 presidents in attendance, 30 vote to sever ties with BASS. Four vote to stay with BASS – Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Ontario. There are 14 abstentions, including Missouri and Montana, who apparently did not send representatives. Highlights of the FLW proposal, reputed to be $15 million over 5 years, include:
> Funding for conservation and youth programs
> FLW Outdoors member benefits
> Priority entry into select FLW circuits
> Enhanced Ranger Cup monies
> Support for Divisionals
> Paid expenses for 12 to BFL All-American
> One boater, one co-angler into Forrest Wood Cup from All-American
> Living the Dream package for one angler
> FLW requires that, to be accepted: 1. 80% of the TBF state Federations, clubs and members must join the FLW/TBF relationship and become FLW Outdoors members; 2. TBF must start new TBF-affiliated Federation in states where none exist; 3. State Federations must provide category-exclusive sponsorships to Wal-Mart, Ranger, Kellogg's, BP, Castrol, Fujifilm, Yamaha, Land O'Lakes, Pure Fishing, M&M Mars, Pedigree and Chevrolet; 3. TBF national state organizations must display FLW logo on printed material.
January 13 – BassFan publicizes its offer to Federations, which was accepted the previous day. Highlights include construction of new TBF website with daily content and tournament coverage plus 12 anglers qualified into Weekend Warrior Championship.
January 16 – FLW releases more details of TBF plan. Full details, including sponsor restrictions, never made public. Components include the aforementioned, plus:
> Cash is cornerstone – FLW will pay as much as $1 million annually to TBF, prorated based on number of members who join. If 80% join, compensation will be $800,000.
> Associate sponsorship of FLW circuits
> Amenities such as a TBF banquet at the Forrest Wood Cup
> Administration assistance
> Production and airing of the National Championship on Fox Sports Net
> Recognition of Ranger as the official TBF boat
January 19 – BASS holds first ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series Championship.
January 20 – BASS reinstates Federation Nation Divisionals.
January 25 – Voting continues among state Federations of where to affiliate.
February 24 – Mike Iaconelli has his day-1 weight DQd at Toho Classic after livewell malfunction leads to tirade on boat. The DQ receives bulk of ESPN's TV-coverage attention. Day-1 1eader Luke Clausen, who fishes for FLW team Chevy, an afterthought.
February 16 – Clausen, who opted out of Elite Series, wins Classic. Press conference limited to short session. BASS staff unable to answer whether Clausen will be invited to defend his Classic title the following year.
February 2 – ESPN announces Skeet Reese will appear in its Super Bowl commercial.
February 3 – BASS officially reinstates polygraph rule, to be used only when an angler is accused of a rules violation.
March 10 – After significant confusion, BASS rules Clausen ineligible to defend Classic title because he didn't register for Elite Series.
March 14 – Ish Monroe wins first-ever Elite Series event at Amistad. Anglers impressed with Series and innovations like smaller field, "angler alley" autograph sessions and more.
March 28 – Kevin VanDam DQd at Santee Cooper for mistake during practice – his practice partner drove while VanDam scouted areas, no longer permitted under Elite Series rules. Alton Jones DQd the following day for similar infraction. Randy Howell DQd several weeks after event concludes. Clearly, the Elite Series means business.
March 29 – BASS bans Elite Series, FLW Tour and FLW Series pros from fishing Weekend Series.
May 12 – Kessel resigns from ESPN/BASS. Indications point to future management changes at ESPN Outdoors.
May 21 – Peter Thliveros wins first-ever Bassmaster Major (Memorial). Scott presents Butler Trophy to Thliveros, named for first BASS member.
June 19 – Godleski leaves ESPN/BASS "to pursue other business opportunities." ESPN executive VP of production and technical operations Steve Anderson assumes responsibility for BASS and ESPN Outdoors. Rucks reports directly to Anderson.
June 17 – BASS releases 2007 Elite Series schedules. Biggest news is two stops in the West – a region it largely abandoned when it replaced the Opens with the Northern and Southern Tours. Schedule also includes three consecutive summer events in New York.
June 20 – FLW announces 2007 Tour schedule. Four of the six dates fall on top of Elite Series events, officially ending the era of two-tour pros. Adds Western FLW Series to fill void left by BASS.
June 21 – Reports surface that Winnercomm and JM Associates are in discussions for a possible merger. Both provide content and production services to BASS. McKinnis heads JM. Jim Wilburn, close friend of Rucks, is Winnercomm boss.
July 2006 – BASS's Citgo sponsorship becomes problematic as the American-born company is now owned by Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. and thus under the direct control of American antagonist Hugo Chavez.
August 8 – ESPN fires Rucks and BASS director of sponsor fulfillment Terry Tesh. Also cancels BassCenter and same-day coverage of Bassmaster Majors. BASS operations now fall directly to Anderson. Search for a new BASS GM begins.
September 15 – BASS conservation director Noreen Clough retires.
October 3 – BASS pros receive 2007 Elite Series Participation Agreement. 2008 field to be capped at 75 boats and only Top 50 from the Elite Series will requalify. Majors fields expanded. Entry-fee deadline structure adjusted. Northern and Southern Tours canceled. Central and Southern Opens reinstated. Culling of dead bass now prohibited. Also new "Joe Thomas Rule" that prohibits clear boat wraps. Citgo officially gone as BASS sponsor.
October 5 – BASS releases 2007 Open dates.
October 23 – BASS releases 2007 Open venues.
November 14 – Long-running Bassmaster University seminar series canceled. BASS licenses operation of Weekend Series to American Bass Anglers (ABA).
November 28 – ABA announces several changes to Weekend Series:
> Entry fees for qualifying events are lowered to $200 for boaters, $100 for non-boaters. Entry fees for the 2-day divisional championship are $300 for boaters and $150 for non-boaters.
> The shared-weight rule is dropped.
> Anglers now qualify from their home division for the National Championship.
> The point structure is changed "to ensure a more level playing field."
December 20 – ESPN signs a 5-year deal for a minority stake in the Arena Football League.
December 21 – 108 pros register for 2007 Elite Series. BASS says it has always held the right to overbook the Elite Series, and analysis shows that only one current Elite pro, Randy Yarnall, failed to requalify.
Photo: ESPN Outdoors
After a 6-month search, Tom Ricks (left) is named to the BASS GM position.
Year 2007 – Enter Ricks, Majors Shakeup, Youth Controversy
January 8 – Anheuser-Busch leaves BASS. Busch Shootout canceled.
January 26 – After a 6-month search, BASS announces Tom Ricks as new GM. Ricks comes to BASS from Pure Fishing, where he directed global marketing operations and new-product development for Pure's rod, reel and combination products. Ricks reports to Anderson.
February 19 – BASS announces Classic TV schedule. Same-day coverage of day 2 and day 3 bumped from dinner hour to 10:00 p.m.
February 20 – Toyota title-sponsors BASS AOY award, formerly sponsored by Busch.
February 25 – Boyd Duckett wins Lay Lake Classic. Crowds and energy excellent. Swindle DQ dominates TV coverage, but DQ again reinforces that BASS and Weldon run a professional series.
March 12 – Ramada becomes official hotel of BASS.
April 19 – BASS softens previously announced 2008 Elite Series qualifications. Field expands back to 110, Top 84 pros requalify. Performance-based exemptions available.
April 18 – Federation Nation sponsor Evan Williams ups involvement across BASS under multiyear agreement.
April 25 – Ricks dines with several BASS pros and seeks feedback. Rumors surface that yet more changes might be coming to the Elite Series.
May 8 – Federation Nation director Jones leaves BASS. Stacy Twiggs named interim director.
May 16 – Corkran returns as Federation Nation director.
May 30 – BASS announces Hartwell as 2008 Classic site.
June 5 – BASS celebrates 40th anniversary of the first BASS tournament – the All-American Invitational at Arkansas' Beaver Lake.
June 12 – BASS announces sweeping changes to 2008 Elite Series. Cancels Majors, which never resonated with fans. That removes about $1.8 million from Tour purse, but BASS adds $400,000 to AOY purse, gives pros their boats back on TV days. Most pros disappointed but okay with it, and they're happy to have boats back.
June 21 – An ESPN management shuffle puts Traug Keller – a longtime ESPN senior VP who oversees ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes – in charge of ESPN Outdoors and BASS. Anderson named executive VP of news, talent and content operations.
July 9 – Upon request, BASS provides BassFan with ratings numbers for its TV show. According to BASS, thus far through the 2007 Elite Series season, The Bassmasters on ESPN averages a .29 hh rating in its 9:00 a.m. timeslot on Saturdays. Translated into real numbers, that means an average of about 269,766 households watch the show. The measure doesn't account for multiple viewers within a household.
July 12 – FLW releases 2008 Tour schedule with two dates that overlap the Elite Series.
July 16 – BASS senior writer Tim Tucker dies tragically in car accident. The sport grieves.
August 5 – Scott Suggs wins first $1 million prize in the sport at Ouachita Forrest Wood Cup.
September 10 – JM Associates merges with Career Sports & Entertainment.
September 24 – BASS announces Toho as site of 2007 Federation Nation Championship – the third straight in BASS's backyard.
October 10 – BASS announces that 2008 WBT AOY will earn 2009 Classic berth. Many Elite pros react negatively – road too easy, they say.
October 25 – BASS director of communications Jamie Wilkinson promoted to senior director of event operations and business development. Doug Grassian will direct BASS communications.
November 15 – Mark Davis makes high-profile return to BASS after fishing FLW for 2 years. BASS confirms 100 pros registered for 2008 Elite Series.
December 5 – BASS moves Jr. Classic 2 1/2 months before event is scheduled. Jr. Classic no longer to be held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Classic, but with the Federation Nation National Championship. Kids crushed. Parents furious. Fan ire peaks.
December 6 – Legend becomes the official boat of the WBT.
December 13 – After Opens conclude, Elite Series full at 110 boats.
December 17 – Toyota unveils contingency program for all levels of BASS competition.
December 18 – BASS compromises on Jr. Classic move. Reschedules it to coincide with final 2008 Elite Series event at Oneida in New York. Also rolls out new youth program, whereby youth competition is integrated with Federation Nation Divisionals and National Championship.
Year 2008 – Pros Visit White House, BASS Nixes Elite Co-Anglers
January – BASS kicks off 40th anniversary year.
January 22 – BASS returns to a multi boat and motor sponsor model with the addition of Skeeter and Yamaha. Skeeter and Yamaha sign premier sponsorships of the Bassmaster Classic, Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens and WBT.
Photo: ESPN Outdoors
Classic Champ Alton Jones and WBT champ Judy Wong visit White House in March 2008
January 24 – ESPN show Mike & Mike in the Morning broadcasts live from the Hartwell Classic.
February 21 – After years of late schedule announcements, BASS unveils dates and locations of next three Classics – Shreveport (2009), Birmingham (2010), New Orleans (2011). Also, BASS signs Optima and Evan Williams to supporting sponsor agreements.
February 25 – Alton Jones wins Hartwell Classic.
March 25 – Skeeter announces benefit program for Federation Nation members.
March 26 – Classic champ Alton Jones and WBT champ Judy Wong visit President Bush at the White House.
April 16 – Ann Lewis, who managed publicity and media services for BASS and the Bassmaster Tournament Trail from 1983 through 1999, dies after a lengthy illness.
July 16 – BASS announces 2009 and 2010 Elite Series schedules at same time. Schedules are aggressive, with western swing in 2010, plus northern events both years including Bays de Noc in Michigan (2009). Co-anglers removed from competition starting in 2009, replaced with "marshals" who pay for the privilege. Wildcard Qualifier system eliminated. ESPN also announces new Saltwater Series and the return of Northern Opens.
August 13 – FLW ushers in era of contraction when it cancels saltwater trails and East-West Fishoff, caps FLW Tour and Series at 150 boats and closes Tour fields, cuts Stren events to 3 days, raises entry fees and reduces payout. But expands College Fishing.
August 27 – BASS releases 2009 Opens schedule, again well ahead of season. With return of Northern Opens, two pros from each division will reach the Classic. Seven pros from each division qualify for the Elite Series. Payout, like the year before, is all cash.
September 2 – BASS announces that the following month's Bass Club World Championship will be the last.
September 17 – BASS announces 2009 WBT schedule.
October 25 – Kim Bain-Moore wins WBT Championship, becomes first woman to earn a Classic berth.
November 6 – 2009 Elite Series rules outline new Marshal program.
December 4 – BASS announces that Mike & Mike in the Morning will again broadcast live from the Classic.
December 11 – Katie Couric interviews Bain-Moore and Mike Iaconelli on CBS Evening News.
December 23 – BASS confirms Federation Nation director Corkran will soon leave BASS. The position will go dark.
Year 2009 – Elite Series Contraction, FLW Contraction Too
January 9 – BASS announces sweeping changes to Elite Series. Cancels two of three northern events (Bays de Noc and Champlain), along with Pickwick. Elite Series now eight events with new Top 12 post-season format to determine AOY, with details TBA. Entry fees about halved to $32,000. AOY prize increased to $250,000 with $1 million total purse. Eleven-event 2010 Elite schedule stands as previously announced.
January 19 – Based on pro feedback, BASS revises previously announced payouts. Entry fees increased to $41,600, some AOY money moved back into regular season so 50th still pays $10,000.
January 28 – BASS announces 2009 Elite Series field. Will run 101 boats – down from 110 the previous year.
February 5 – BASS announces live-streaming weigh-ins can now only be viewed on ESPN360 – a new Internet service that many major ISPs don't carry.
February 19 – BASS announces 2009 WBT Championship at the Red River and next two Federation Nation National Championships at the Harris Chain (Florida is clearly permanent "home" of championship).
February 22 – Skeet Reese wins Red River Classic.
February 26 – After multiyear hiatus, Bass Pro Shops rejoins BASS, but not as sponsor. The relationship is termed "marketing partnership."
March 17 – BASS announces Lay Lake as the site of the 2010 Classic.
April 22 – After three pros drop out of the Elite Series, BASS cuts payout. Pros angry.
May 6 – BASS releases details of post-season format. Top 12 at end of regular season qualify and fish two 2-day events in Alabama. Points are adjusted after end of regular season. Bonus points awarded for regular-season wins. Post-season points work on a 50-point sliding scale.
May 12 – Trouble brews at Guntersville Elite Series. Kevin Langill suspended for rest of season.
June 1 – Genmar bankruptcy shocks sport and industry. Jacobs recedes from day-to-day management of FLW.
July 6 – FLW Outdoors president and CEO Charlie Evans tells Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he thinks an eventual unifying championship is "inevitable."
July 16 – BASS predictably shortens the 2010 Elite Series to eight events. Drops Amistad, Champlain and Erie. Schedule stretches over just 4 months. Post-season to occur mid-summer.
August 2 – Elite Series pros Greg Hackney and Iaconelli finish 1–2 respectively at the Pittsburgh Forrest Wood Cup.
September 8 – FLW moves its Chickamauga Tour, which was scheduled on top of an Elite Series date. Schedule still tight, but two-tour fishing now possible again. Four will take the bait in 2010 – Ish Monroe, Edwin Evers, Steve Kennedy and David Smith.
September 18 – Although Skeet Reese won the regular-season points, Kevin VanDam claims AOY title after two-event post-season. Heavy crowd turns out for Montgomery weigh-in and Zac Brown Band concert, which follows.
September 30 – BASS releases 2010 Opens schedule, drops co-angler limit to three fish "in the interest of conservation."
October 8 – BASS announces that pros who drive Toyotas will be able to use their personal vehicles at the Classic drive-thru weigh-ins. Also releases 2010 WBT schedule.
October 27 – FLW contracts further. Cancels Eastern FLW Series, Western Strens, Stren Championship and Walleye League. Scales down Western FLW Series and Walleye Tour. Merges four BFL divisions into other divisions. Shrinks 2011 Forrest Wood Cup field to 48 boats. Bass Tour will cut to Top 5 for final day.
October 30 – After pro uproar, FLW reinstates Eastern FLW Series, but cuts entry/payout in half. Adds 10 more pros back into Cup field.
Year 2010 – ESPN Dumps Outdoor Programming, Shops BASS
January 4 – BASS cancels WBT.
January 7 – BASS announces final 2010 Elite field at 95 boats.
January 9 – Ranger, Stratos and Champion sold to Platinum Equity at Genmar bankruptcy auction.
January 25 – Godleski joins Women's National Basketball Association, named to COO position.
January 28 – BASS announces Fishburne will return to the stage at the upcoming Classic. He'll play a limited role. Primary emcee duties still fall to Alan.
February 8 – BASS announces multiyear sponsor agreement with Minn Kota – a change from traditional alignment of MotorGuide-BASS/Minn Kota-FLW. Humminbird signs a few days later.
February 13 – Morning ice covers many near-shore areas during Classic practice at Lay.
February 21 – VanDam wins Lay Classic.
March – Winnercomm boss Jim Wilburn attends Classic, rumors swirl that Winnercomm parent Outdoor Channel pursuing a BASS purchase.
March 10 – Skeet Reese on cover of Parade magazine. Circulation? Over 32 million.
April 27 – BASS ups post-season stakes – will award boat package to winner of each leg.
May 11 – Bass Pro Shops returns to the BASS sponsor portfolio as Opens title-sponsor. Its Nitro boat brand becomes supporting sponsor of Elite Series. BASS now sponsored by three boat companies – Triton, Skeeter and Nitro.
May 21 – ESPN confirms it'll dump all outdoor programming starting in 2011, except The Bassmasters TV show and Classic programming. Rumors intensify that BASS will be sold off.
June 10 – ESPN announces plans to close six of its 10 Zone restaurants. Further indication ESPN actively shedding non-core businesses.
June 16 – BASS announces 2011 Elite Series schedule. Schedule is geographically narrow. Venues in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana/Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and Arkansas. Controversial post-season format will continue.
June 22 – FLW announces sweeping changes to FLW Tour – 2011 season to feature six Majors and four Opens. Three dates overlap 2011 Elite Series.
Jerry McKinnis, who was active in the sport before BASS was founded, is one of three investors who agreed to purchase BASS.
July 20 – Rumors of a BASS sale intensify. BassFan names McKinnis and former AOL Time Warner boss Don Logan as suitors.
July 22 – BASS conservation director Chris Horton leaves BASS. Search begins for his replacement.
July 26 – BASS announces 2011 post-season details. Will be held at Lake Jordan and Alabama River for the third consecutive year.
July 29 – Brunswick sells Triton to Platinum. Two largest bass-boat competitors (Ranger, Triton) now partners.
July 31 – VanDam again unseats regular-season points winner Reese to claim AOY title.
August 3 – ESPN announces agreement in principle to sell BASS to McKinnis, Logan and former Deloitte CEO Jim Copeland. Industry reacts positively to news. Sale expected to close in early September. Terms not disclosed.
August 6 – A few days after sale announcement, Jacobs announces T. Boone Pickens as equity partner in FLW Outdoors. The next day, Jacobs announces Walmart's return as FLW sponsor.
August 10 – Evans resigns from FLW Outdoors. Industry consensus is he was asked to leave. Jacobs adds CEO to his chairman title. Day-to-day control of FLW Outdoors falls to newly promoted Trisha Blake (president, marketing division) and Kathy Fennel (president, operations division).
Late August – Sport in holding pattern waiting for BASS sale to close.
Notable
> To read part 1 of this story, click here. For part 2, click here)
– End of part 3 (of 3) –
