Previously, I investigated questions being posed by bass fishing fans all around the world regarding the apparent direction of the FLW Tour. This week, I intended to get answers.

How would FLW answer to anglers regarding payouts? What were their thoughts on many big-name FLW pros switching to B.A.S.S., and why control the invite list for the new Invitationals? These were questions that needed answers, so I did what I always do – I called and asked.

Kathy Fennel, FLW President of Operations, has always made my job easy. Throughout my history of requesting comments, when I pose a question that makes even me wince, she answers with ease and polished professionalism. But, perhaps this would be the exception.

After a lengthy conversation, what I was left with was, again, a general feel that FLW is more than comfortable in its own shoes. To paraphrase, Fennel explained to me that the FLW business model, although currently being somewhat modified as you will see, has nothing to do with that of B.A.S.S. In her words, it's like comparing “apples to oranges."

The main theme appears to be this: While both offer professional tournament trails, FLW’s goal is to continue to do so at a lower cost to participate. In addition, the goal is to do so for the greatest number of anglers possible, from grassroots college-level fishermen to the Larry Nixons of the world.

Backing up, I was reminded that FLW continues to keep co-anglers in their business plan at the pro level, and seems to be running events almost constantly. “It is our business model to accommodate more anglers,” Fennel added.

I pushed on, questioning her opinion on the general trend of some of FLW’s most successful pros moving to B.A.S.S. in the interest of increased exposure.

“For the investment, there’s no better payout opportunity than what the FLW Tour offers,” Fennel said.

Maybe so, but that doesn’t explain the migration. Again, Fennel explained the key is to remember the difference in business models between the two organizations. The goal behind FLW is to serve the highest number of anglers with a good product at a reasonable price.

I was given the general feeling that, while FLW would love to have its biggest names continue to compete on its Tour, it had more than just individuals to worry about. In other words, if 1 in 100 pros move over, FLW is more concerned with the other 99.

Such direction would then seem to contradict apparent attempts to satisfy its existing pros more with reduced logo constraints and additional events.

But, when it comes to more events, the issue may not be as cut and dried as I thought. Through continued surveys of its pro anglers, FLW has found that, indeed, many desire to fish more regular-season events, but not all. Such was the idea behind the new Invitational tournaments. And, while I was critical last week of FLW allowing only its Tour pros in, evidently this may not be the case. If existing FLW Tour pros who qualify want to fish the Invitational events, great; they’re in. But following those anglers and 15 or so Rayovac qualifiers, entry to these events will be open to others. That’s interesting.

At this point in my conversation with Fennel, I had to get to the bottom of the logo issue, “team deals” and tournament sponsors. I was surprised at my findings.

To back up, let’s take a layman’s look at the history of the program. Initially, the FLW business model centered on fishing teams gaining exposure for sponsors of the tournament trail, rather than competitors gaining exposure for their individual supportive brands.

However, as I was educated by Fennel, and later by FLW marketing guru Trisha Blake, such direction is headed out. While FLW will continue to offer sponsors fishing team marketing programs, the goal is to build recognition for the anglers or, more correctly, allow those anglers to do so for themselves.

“As the sport has matured, it’s time to mature and evolve our model as well,” Fennel said. Aspiring pros may want to read that statement again.

Additional conversations with both Blake and Fennel led me to the general idea that the fishing team contracts were not only unable to elevate pros due to logo constraints, they rewarded complacency from many of those same pros when it came to promotions and brand recognition.

FLW was careful to point out the importance of today’s pros being successful marketers of themselves and their sponsors. Using Fennel’s words, the sport has matured into one in which, in order to be successful, pros must be just as savvy with social media as with Down Imaging. Perhaps that’s sad; I, for one, still long for the days of popularity being based on performance. But that’s just not the way the world works in 2015.

In other words, FLW appears to be more concerned with pros building their own brand and recognition. Giving credit where it’s due, we’ve seen this trend at B.A.S.S. for years now; the initial mandatory boat-wrap rule several seasons ago being a bold example. Perhaps FLW has now found reason to follow such direction, thanks, in part, to those pros who’ve done so on their own.

So what will FLW offer sponsors, now that the team concept is waning? Upon inquiry, I was greeted with hard data, and some of the numbers were real whoppers. By offering 240 events per year coast-to-coast, FLW is living up to its “quantity” claims in the tournament sector, and doing so creates mega-traffic on its website. I feel its television show, with its ever-changing format, continues to be lackluster, but no recent reader can dispute that the FLW magazine is one of the best in fishing. And grassroots, specifically high school and college fishing, is really creating lots of views. Evidently, 500-plus spectators at a high school fishing weigh-in is commonplace. I never knew.

So where’s FLW today? Comfortable, I think. It appears it's flexing a bit in strategy to see where everything is going to land, and I applaud the organization for that. Truthfully, it’s probably necessary for FLW to continue to exist at the pro tournament level. I’d be surprised not to see a major upward swing as a result.

(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)