PROFESSIONAL ANGLERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES PAA CORPORATE CUP DETAILS

Benton, Ky. – Earlier this month, The Professional Anglers Association (PAA) announced the 2008 PAA Corporate Cup. A high stakes professional bass fishing tournament on Alabama’s Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala.

 The goal of the PAA Corporate Cup is to build relationships and increase awareness of the PAA within the corporate world, while providing all PAA members an opportunity to compete in a 100% payback event.  The tournament offers a one of a kind format where tour level anglers compete with corporate sponsor partners on corporate namesake teams in friendly competition.

 Fishery: Pickwick Lake

 Event Location: McFarland Park, 200 James M. Spain Dr., Florence, AL 35630

 Format:  Similar to the PAA developed team format used at the Toyota Texas Bass Classic, teams will consist of a four man team comprised of two PAA Tour anglers and two Sponsor Amateur anglers working together as a team during competition.  Each boat will contain one PAA angler and one Sponsor angler.  

 Eligibility: Open to all PAA Tour members.  In the event a team of two PAA Tour members cannot fill the two Sponsor angler positions, the team can replace those members with two PAA General members.  Teams without sponsor participation will be responsible for their $5,000 entry fee, and therefore eligible for all prize money awarded.  Teams without sponsors can be made up of a maximum of two PAA Tour members.   

 Tour Member Pairings: The PAA Tour members will work with the Sponsor anglers of each team to determine who will fish for each team.  All teams submitted are subject to PAA approval and PAA reserves the right to refuse entry of any team or make adjustments to teams as necessary.     

 Sponsorship Opportunity:  $5,000 per team.  Sponsors may purchase more than one team for their company. By purchasing a team for $5,000, the sponsor receives a team with their desired name, two angler spots on a team, an opportunity to receive a percentage of any winnings, national media exposure through radio, Internet, print and television.  Along with all of those benefits, they will receive a one of a kind opportunity to fish with the pros of the sport. 

 If the sponsor desires, each competitor boat of the sponsor team will display a sponsor logo decal on the boat windshield during all days of competition and all anglers will wear a hat displaying the team sponsor logo during all days of competition.  Sponsors are responsible for supplying the company logo for the windshield decal and hats for each angler on their team(s) if they choose to participate in this display of the company logo.      

 Registration Deadline:  Registration beings immediately. To be included in all printed event publications and publicity, all teams must be registered with an official, completed entry form & paid in full by Friday, August 29^th, 2008.  The final deadline for all teams to be registered to participate with an official, completed entry form and paid in full is September 19^th, 2008.  No changes can be made to teams after September 19^th, 2008.    

 Competition: 

• Thursday, October 9^th thru Saturday, October 11^th
• The full field will compete in two days of competition consisting of two consecutive 8-hour days.
• On the third day the field will be cut to the money positions, consisting of the top 30 percent.
• Locking will be allowed.
• Teams will be allowed to communicate via cell phone or two-way radio during the event. 
• All four members of the team will go out at the same time in two separate boats for eight hours of fishing per competition day. 
• Each boat is allowed to bring in a maximum of 5 total fish to the scales for a total of 10 fish per team, per day.   

 NOTE: All anglers not competing on the cut day will remain on site for autographs, sponsor and media participation. 

 Captain’s Choice Golf Scramble (optional):

• Wednesday, October 8^th, 2008
• The Schoolmaster Course has been reserved at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail
• The Golf Scramble is open to any PAA member or Sponsor angler participating in the PAA Corporate Cup fishing tournament. 
• Each team will consist of four individuals with one individual appointed as the Captain for that team. 
• The Captain of the team will make all final shot decisions. 
• Estimated handicaps and requested teammates will be taken into consideration when assigning teams for the event. 
• Awards will be presented for the Champion and 2^nd place teams
• A special thank you is extended to The Alabama Mountain Lakes Association for sponsoring the 2008 Captain’s Choice Golf Scramble.

 Additional Events: PAA will be holding fundraising events to benefit the PAA and Catch-A-Dream throughout the PAA Corporate Cup.  PAA will also have PAA merchandise for sale at the event as well. 

 Additional Sponsor Opportunities: 

• Vendor booths at McFarland Park will be made available to Corporate Sponsors first and the public second. 
• Anyone interested in sponsoring a meal, award or obtaining a vendor booth may contact the PAA office at 270.527.2030. 

PAA CORPORATE CUP PAYOUT*

*Payout based on 100 Teams