Competitive bass fishing will see a different approach to tournament coverage on May 27 when THE FUTURE launches on Lake Guntersville.
The fully livestreamed team-format event, organized by Fishing Chaos, will bring together professional anglers, fishing creators, and industry personalities for a one-day competition built around live coverage and audience interaction.
Tom Brewbaker, President and CEO of Fishing Chaos, told Wired2fish the event is designed to explore new ways fans can follow competitive fishing and demonstrate how to integrate livestream technology into tournaments of all sizes.
A Different Tournament Format
THE FUTURE will feature two-person teams competing under a hybrid scoring format.
For the first six hours, teams will fish a traditional best-five format with forward-facing sonar permitted. During the final hour, however, every keeper fish will count toward the total weight, and forward-facing sonar will no longer be allowed.
Brewbaker said the format was intentionally designed to create strategic adjustments throughout the day while also highlighting multiple styles of fishing.
“It’ll be interesting to see all these personalities and a lot of people that are used to fishing solo tournaments, how they do in a team environment,” Brewbaker added.
The tournament will also operate on a different schedule than many traditional events, beginning at noon and ending at 7 p.m. Organizers chose the afternoon time slot to take advantage of Guntersville’s late-day bite while also making the event easier for fans to watch after work hours.
Holding the event during the week is also expected to help reduce boat traffic on the lake.
Livestream Coverage Across Every Boat
One of the most notable aspects of THE FUTURE is its livestream structure.
Every team will stream its day on the water across platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Fishing Chaos. Fans will also have access to a centralized broadcast featuring leaderboard updates, commentary, live look-ins across the field, and interactive features inside the Fishing Chaos platform.
Brewbaker noted that one of the company’s primary goals is to show how accessible tournament streaming has become.
“The technology now exists to be able to put that in their hands,” he said, referring to tournament organizers and trails looking to expand livestream coverage.
Fishing Chaos will also provide individual anglers with customized stream layouts and integrated sponsor visibility throughout the broadcast.
Bringing Together Pros and Creators
The field includes a mix of established professional anglers and fishing content creators, with competitors including Scott Martin, Gerald Swindle, Jordan Lee, Keith Poche, Kristine Fisher, Justin Lucas, James Watson, and Lucas Black.
The field collectively represents more than $10 million in tournament winnings and a social media audience exceeding 9 million followers.
Brewbaker said participant interest came quickly once anglers understood both the concept and the livestream opportunities involved.
“A lot of the feedback that I got was from anglers saying, ‘I’ve been meaning to stream for a long time,’” Brewbaker told Wired2fish.
Fishing Chaos Expanding Streaming Capabilities
While THE FUTURE currently stands as a single-event showcase, Fishing Chaos sees livestream integration as an increasingly important part of tournament fishing moving forward.
The company, founded in 2018, currently supports thousands of tournaments annually through its event management platform. Brewbaker said future efforts will continue focusing on tournament services while expanding streaming opportunities for anglers and organizers.
He also noted that the technology could benefit local and youth events by making tournaments more accessible to families and fans who cannot attend in person.
“Being able to work with us in order to add that element to their tournament,” Brewbaker said, “that’s something you can expect more of.”
THE FUTURE will stream live and free on May 27 through Fishing Chaos as well as YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Viewers can follow the main events page here to stay updated on tournament news, audience opportunities, giveaways, and more. This is accessible via the web or on the Fishing Chaos app.
