The new BASS Angler of the Year Chase did get people talking. It hit the mark to some, didn't resonate with others and many other fans really didn't get it. We loved the TV coverage but some of you didn't. The purists liked it the way it was and some called the new format "Angler of the Week". We asked and you sent us your opinions.
Here is what some of you sent us on feedback.
John Tellor wrote:
"The new format is what the sport needed. All other sports have a championship at the end of the season. Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey the list goes on and on. I think it will bring more sponsors to the sport and more air time on ESPN. With that it also will catch the public eye mainly the youth and bring them to the sport. High schools are already making it a sport in some states. The only think I did not like about it is there were only two tournaments. I think there needs to be at least four to make it a good championship. It seemed after the first tournament it was up to just two guys. They should have two in the south and two in the north. "
Matt Musgrave said:
"The angler that gets 12th place at the end of the regular season, should not be able to win the Angler of the Year award in the "postseason" for winning two tourneys. The AOY should be as it usually is and leave the winner to the top finisher at the end of the tour."
Terry Battisti wrote:
"Personally, I didn't like the AOY/Post-season race at all. I fully believe that AOY should be the culmination of all regular season tournaments with a full field. To take the top 12 anglers and make them fish two extra 2-day events and have that count for AOY in my eyes tarnishes the Trophy. What I feel they should have done was award the AOY after the eighth tournament. The post season event(s) was fun and I watched it online but that event should have been an entirely separate event."
Heath Smith had pro's and con's:
The postseason had its positives and negatives. Lets start with the negative thoughts.
- The event was broken up into 2 parts first lake at lake Jordan. These guys fished lake Jordan for points alone and the chance to move up in AOY rank. I feel like that only benefited the few guys at the top of the AOY rankings going in to the event. The other guys didnt have a whole lot to fight for. I would like to see them put some money on the line at the event next year.
- Both weigh ins were held in outdoor settings. The rain made the weigh ins misserable. Maybe the next time we will at least have a back up plan for the weigh ins. I mean the first weigh in was held in the parking lot of the civic center, they should have made arrangements to hold it indoors if weather was an issue.
- The Zac Brown band!! Although I make no hesitation about it they are a great band, and I enjoy their songs. On the final day of the event about half way through the weigh in they came backing up to the stage in there bus and completley disrupted the entire weigh in process. They are being paid to be there and BASS should have made sure they were already there prior to the weigh in starting. I know this sounds picky but you should have been there.
Ok so now I will get off my preverbial soap box and start with the positives.
- The location was excellent!!!! 2 of the best spotted bass fisheries in the country. No one can argue that!
- The format used of dropping the last digit on the points was a great idea to narrow the gap between the top 12 competitors. The only difference is if BASS is going to have there hand in who has a shot at winning why not just zero the points at the start of the post season. Ok, maybe that would really cause a big stink.
- The coverage on ESPN was phenominal!! It was nice to sit down in the easy chair for a 3 hour run of nothing but fishing. It felt like Saturday mornings used to feel when you had several top notch fishing shows that aired.
- The website coverage during the event was also awesome. The new BassCam feature is something I hope they continue to do throughout the regular season next year. It was as close to live on the water coverage as this sport has ever seen.
- It gave the top 12 anglers a chance to gainfully represent there sponsors in a fashion like never before. Made the value of making the post season go up tremendously
- And last but not least KVD won again. After a dismal day one at lake Jordan KVD staying true to form bounced back and showed the world why he is the greatest angler of all time. He continues to raise the bar of proffesional bass fishing.
Overall I feel like with a few modifacations the post season could be an event that could hold in a close 2nd to the Classic. I look forward to seeing the best in the buisness in action in Febuary on yet again another phenominal spotted bass fishery.
Kevin Daugherty added:
"First off, I want to say that I am a huge fan of the sport and, if ANYTHING is going on, I am interested. So yes, it did hold my interest and I was proud of ESPN for dedicating three hours of show-time to it.
That being said, I am dead against the new format or a couple of reasons. First, I think it is a slap in the face for the other anglers. It's my understanding that BASS shortened the season to help the anglers and themselves in a slumping economy. I figured it was mostly to offer BASS some relief, but they turned around and took the whole road show to Alabama for two more tournaments. From an economics standpoint, it would have made sense if they had completely canceled the last two tournaments but they didn't, so I don't see how it helped BASS. The anglers didn't like it. Even the guys who seem to go deeper in the hole with each passing event say they make their living fishing, and a shortened season hurts them.
The main reason I'm against it is because the other 88 or so competitors have a great chance of affecting the outcome of the AOY race, if they are there, in a number of ways. The season starts with 100 (+) and it should end with 100(+). Adjusting the points in any way, at all, is a bad move also.
It was exciting because the two hottest anglers on the planet, KVD and Skeet, were neck-n-neck, with Ike having a great run and waiting for one of them to slip up. I think it would have been more exciting and more impressive if all the Elites had been there."
From Michael Faught:
"No I did not like it. I agree that putting the two tournaments within a short time span, and having twelve anglers compete was great, but not with changing the numbers. It should be left with the top twelve competing under the same system that they competed for all year. It did add suspense, but that does not make it a fair battle when so many things were changed. Why did they not give 5 points to the angler with the heaviest overall weight from all of the previous tournaments. Why not give 5 points for those of the top twelve that had the most top twelve in tournaments, etc. etc. etc. I did watch the 3 hr shows, and I watched it online also. Everyone fought the battle under the same circumstances, but I do not like the changing of points before the last two tournaments."
George Foster III said:
"I understand why it is being done and it is exciting. But just like in Nascar, I think the one that finishes first after last tournament is true winner. Although I do not know how KVD got his bonus points I believe Skeet was true Champ for the year."
Brent Callicott:
"I would like to see two things happen for tournaments.
As for the AOY...keep everything as far as fishing one week then the next, but do not let anyone know what lake are going to be fished and if you find out and pr-fish them...you are D Q'd and the next person in line would fish meaning 13th place. The only prefishing time you have is the two days before the event then already the guys may go ahead and announce at the first night meeting where lake #2 is.
As for the Classic...I think they need to go back to where this all started...a lake unknown.
You are allowed a number of tackle including rods and reels and fishing for 3 days on a lake unknown as well.
To me ....one this is important, a TRUE fisherman is one who can go on a lake of somewhat unknowns or not fished that year and find bass.
With todays electronics....true bass fishing has been taken out...the word "Fishing" is now catching. You now know where the Bass are...now all you have to do is catch them.
Just an idea looking from the outside in."
Editors note: Since this was a made for TV Championship a secret location would be interesting.
Barry McKinley added:
"
I did follow the AOY race. I am on the fence on whether or not I like it better than a traditional race. I thought the BASS TV coverage was terrible."
This was a cross section of the responses we received. Overall, we compliment BASS for taking the risk and trying something new. It looks like some loved it and many of those that follow it would like for it to have a few minor tweaks. Lets give it a chance and see what nuances are in store for 2010.
