By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

A group of anglers that claims to have the backing of the majority of the 80-man MLF Bass Pro Tour roster have formed an alliance in the wake of MLF's announcement this week of changes to the structure and format of the tour that would, among other things, result in a drastically reduced field size in 2025. The group has issued a press release, which is reprinted here in its entirety in Italic type:

Riverside, California ----- "We have recently received a proposal outlining plans from the MLF. We are currently in the process of carefully reviewing various aspects of the proposal. The anglers, passionate about the growth and success of the league, agree that adjustments in the business model are necessary and are eager to work towards an agreement that assures everyone’s continued prosperity.”

Having built their careers within the league, the majority of the anglers are original founding members who possess a genuine commitment to the continual advancement of the MLF platform. As we embark on this review process, our primary goal is to establish a stronger and more fruitful relationship with the league that can endure for years to come.

The APC, Angler Protection Committee, is a strategic alliance of Bass Pro Tour anglers.

"The goal is to sit down at the table and find a viable solution for both sides – the anglers and the league," said a BPT angler who contacted BassFan and spoke under the promise of anonymity. "What they have proposed doesn't work for our side."

MLF announced numerous changes for the BPT, which has existed since 2019, earlier this week. The one that has the biggest impact on the anglers, by far, is the reduction to 50 competitors for the 2025 season.

Tabbed as an "all-star" roster by the league, it would consist of the Top 35 from the tour's lifetime Angler of the Year standings following the 2024 campaign, the Top 10 from the 2024 standings who did not qualify via the lifetime standings and the Top 5 anglers from the 2024 MLF Invitationals.

The every-fish-counts scoring system is coming back in 2024 following a one-year experiment with the traditional heaviest-five format. Also next year, the number of competitors advancing to the Knockout Round will drop from 40 to 20.

With the smaller roster in 2025, tournaments will be reduced from six days to four with no more need for off days for half the field. The top prize will increase from $100,000 to $130,000 with last place (50th) receiving a $2,000 check.

Livestreaming of action on the water will increase in 2024 with the addition of the Team Series, which features six days for each of three qualifying events and seven days for the championship. However, livestreaming of the first two days of the Qualifying Round for regular-season BPT events will be eliminated.

MLF President and CEO Boyd Duckett, who's also a BPT competitor, told BassFan today that he had no comment on the formation of the APC and didn't plan to participate in negotiations with the group. He said angler issues are routinely addressed through the MLF Anglers Association, a body that's separate from the league and consists of six officers (five of whom are anglers) and eight board members (all anglers).



"That would be the entity I'd respond to," Duckett said. "The other one isn't one I even have an awareness of."

Duckett said he empathizes with anglers who'll no longer have a place on the BPT after next year, but he believes that the reduction is necessary in order for the league to achieve its goal of increased online viewership by non-traditional fans.

"There's always been a lot more than 80 guys who want to fish the Bass Pro Tour," he said. "There's probably 10,000 guys who'd like to have a PGA Tour card, but only 177 guys do.

"For us to be successful, the model doesn't work with 80 – we need 50. It's going to be good for professional fishing in the long run, but the downside is it's hard on those who can't make it. Everyone is still going to have a fair chance to make it.

"I wish we could feed 400 of them, but we can't right now."

The BPT angler who contacted BassFan said the APC is working in conjunction with the MLFAA structure. He said the creation of the new entity became necessary earlier this week after the anglers were notified of the changes via a Zoom conference. The MLFAA, he said, is set up to deal with issues such as tournament rules, contracts and fund-raising rather than to provide union-type representation in negotiations with managment.

"It'll basically be the MLFAA that they're negotiating with," he said. "It'll just be in a little bit different form."