Nitro and Bass Pro Shops to Sponsor Major League Fishing

12/12/2011 11:25:37 AM

Sponsors are signing with new MLF tournament bass fishing venture

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When seven-time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year and four-time Bassmaster Classic champ Kevin VanDam competes for the Major League Fishing title, something about his competitive look will be familiar. He will be fishing in a Nitro boat.

VanDam feels “right at home” knowing that Bass Pro Shops and Nitro boats have agreed sponsor MLF, the recently formed partnership between Outdoor Channel and 24 of the world’s best anglers. Bass Pro Shops and MLF announced the sponsorship today.

“I’ve had a great relationship with Bass Pro Shops and Nitro, and I’m happy they’re on board as we begin Major League Fishing, which I see as one of the most creative and challenging ventures that our industry has ever seen,” said VanDam. “I think it’s a perfect fit to have Bass Pro Shops as part of Major League Fishing.”

Major League Fishing’s first event, the Challenge Cup, took place Nov. 6-11 on Lake Amistad near Del Rio, Texas. The Lake Amistad event debuted the league’s innovative format that allows anglers to compete with no limit on the number of legal fish they can catch and weigh. Competitors were not allowed to begin competition with stored, user-generated GPS waypoints, and were not allowed any practice time. The anglers also were equipped with real-time leader boards in their boats, which showed where they ranked in the standings at all times.

Bass Pro Shops and Nitro provided Z7 bass boats for the first event.

“We are thankful for the opportunity for our company to be a part of Major League Fishing and this exciting new concept in competitive bass fishing,” said Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine founder Johnny Morris. “I’m looking forward to watching the competition.”

The Challenge Cup presented by Busch Beer will be offered to the public via a web-based pay-per-view broadcast early in 2012, and will be aired on Outdoor Channel beginning in April 2012. Details of pay-per-view programming will be announced in December.