Same Time Next Year?

It’s a big week for bass fishing.

At least it seems that way.

The inaugural World Bass Enterprises on Old Hickory Lake blasts off on Wednesday with a 60 man field from multiple tours vying to win a share of the $3.25 million in prizes, including $1.25 million to the winner alone. The top five will all receive checks of $100k or more.

Bass fishing fans and historians are justified if they’re at all skeptical. We’ve heard similar song and dance routines in the past, many of which ended up with broken promises. Earlier this year the Dual Threat series cratered before the checks could be cashed. But CEO Brian Bird seems to have the coin and the footprint that will make it at least slightly harder to walk away. No one has provided credible evidence that he won’t make good on his promises.

That’s good for the anglers, especially the ones who will get paid this week.

Any time they can compete for that kind of coin it understandably makes them happy. That’s why the Ultimate Angler Championship with its $500,000 first place prize garnered so much attention last year. Not only was the prize big and offered at a time of year when there’s usually little pro bassing going on, but it stood apart from the tours, and the payment was legit. On the other hand, it didn’t appear to get much publicity amongst the general public – exactly zero non-anglers asked me about “that $500 grand tournament.”

WBE is more tied into the tours (the qualifiers are all determined by the Elite Series and BPT standings), which is probably smart. Let them to the day-to-day work and then crown a champ based on their standings and their media momentum. Even if BASS and BPT don’t mention it, the fact that their standings are integral to the premise makes them de facto partners.

So, assuming it’s all legit, what does this event have to provide to go next level?

For me, it’s whether it becomes a yearly deal with wider impact. We’ve seen all sorts of short-term wonders, from the BassFan championship to the M1 to the BPS US Open and beyond. It’s tough to build a championship with traction. That’s one thing BASS has in their corner – there’s no tournament like the Classic. And while the Classic is about the top prize to the winner, the downstream effects are substantial. Just getting there is a big deal, and even though the pros hate working the Expo, that too is another opportunity to bring value to the sport. Yes, they crown a winner, but lots of anglers add value to their portfolio that week. In order to become what WBE describes on their website as “the most anticipated bass fishing event in history” they need to make us anticipate the next one, and the next 10 after that, as well.