Major League Fishing announced today that its first event, the Challenge Cup, will be offered on a seven-week, Internet-based Pay-Per-View plan that will begin on February 13, 2012. The web based podcasts, called Advance Cast, will be offered only on the Major League Fishing website and will now be available for purchase.

“Bass fishing on steroids, that’s what this is” said Major League Fishing angler Skeet Reese. “You’re going to want to see these pay-per-view shows.”

 

The league will offer seven broadcasts, with one episode presented each week. Reese, a former Bassmaster Classic champion and Bassmaster Angler-of-the-Year, said he believes the ADVANCE CAST programs will be “absolutely the best bargain I’ve ever seen in our industry.”

 

“During the Challenge Cup, we had some of the most intense competition I’ve ever experienced. It was, in many ways, the most pressure I’ve ever felt. And now the public is going to get to an opportunity to get right in the middle of that competition,” Reese said.

 

Angler Mike Iaconelli said that viewers will see pro fishing through “a completely different lens” on the ADVANCE CAST presentations.

 

“On these pay-per-view shows, I assure you that Major League Fishing will let you see what it was like when 24 of the greatest anglers in the world tried to find fish with no practice before the event started and very little time to find fish. I believe every angler that competed will tell you we’ve never been through anything like it. It was gut-wrenching. I can’t wait to see the broadcasts,” Iaconelli said.

 

The ADVANCE CAST total-event BassPass, a package of seven broadcasts, will cost $17.94, with individual episodes available for $2.99 each. (The seven-event BassPass package features a “free” week.) Major League Commissioner Don Rucks said that each ADVANCE CAST show will offer many attractions, including

The Challenge Cup, held November 6-11, 2011, on Lake Amistad, included 24 of the world’s best-known competitors and utilized an innovative, angler-created format. The anglers were not allowed to practice before the event, could not compete with pre-determined GPS waypoints and were limited to fishing on designated sections of the lake that were disclosed to them less than 12 hours before their competition rounds began. Each day’s action served as an elimination round.

 

The anglers’ boats were equipped with real-time leader boards. Boat judges accompanied all anglers who administered penalties and scored every legal fish as soon as they were caught. After the weight of each catch was recorded, bass were released back into the lake.

 

The Challenge Cup included six consecutive days of competition. Round 1 took place during the first three days, with eight anglers competing each day. The top four anglers from each day advanced to the next round. Round 2 was comprised of the 12 advancing anglers. During Round 2, six anglers competed on the first day, the remaining six the next day. Two anglers advanced each competitive day of Round 2, setting up a Championship Final Round featuring the top four anglers.

 

The ADVANCE CAST that begins on February 13 will feature the first day of competition. Each subsequent week will offer the next consecutive day of competition. The seventh ADVANCE CAST broadcast will be a wrap-up show that features in-depth, on-the-water segment with the winners from each round and the Challenge Cup champion. For more on advanced sign up go to majorleaguefishing.com.