Elite Series sees economy hit as well!

[Cecil]

TimesDaily.com of Florence, Ala. published an updated story today that reports that in addition to the Bassmaster Elite Series event scheduled for Lake Pickwick, the 2009 tournaments at Michigan's Big Bay de Noc and New York's Lake Champlain have been canceled, as well.

[Central Bassman]

what? They are canceling Elite tournaments?

[Cecil]

They have cancelled those 3. That makes series from 11 down to 8 which they had a few years ago. There will be a release with more detail later today.

[Central Bassman]

WOW!!! Well that isn't such a bad deal, it will make the season not seem like it goes on for ever like last year did!!! Is it cause of lack of sponsors?

[Cecil]

Not sure yet. They have had a lack of main sponsors for the last few years (same sponsors for multiple tournaments). I was really looking forward to those smallmouth tournaments though, they were going to CRUSH them on Bay De Noc. Those seem more interesting to me than Oneida. Would love to see the AOY race decided on a new body of water like BDN.

[Central Bassman]

Well Bass Fan has put a report out on it. It says in the report that B.A.S.S is going to decreasing entry fees per angler by $25,200 for the season and introducing a two-event, no-entry-fee postseason. The postseason places an increased focus on the Angler of the Year (AOY) race. Dropping the entry fee will really make it easier for most of the pro. I think this is a good move on BASS part understand what they pros are going threw.

B.A.S.S also reported that the Elite Series Marshal Program is 75% full for them 8 Elite series events. So there is still room but it is fill up fast.

[Cecil]

Did they name the lakes or the winnings? Is this suppose to be similar to nascar cup chase.

I could probably have looked myself in the time it took to write this, but what fun would that be.....

[Central Bassman]

$250,000 for AOY and the total prize will total 1 million dollars. 100.000 for winning a tournament.

Tournament Schedule

> March 12-15 – Battle on the Border (Lake Amistad; Del Rio, Texas)

> March 26-29 – Diamond Drive (Lake Dardanelle; Russellville, Ark.)

> April 2-5 – Dixie Duel (Wheeler Lake; Decatur, Ala.)

> April 23-26 – Blue Ridge Brawl (Smith Mountain Lake; Moneta, Va.)

> May 7-10 – Southern Challenge (Lake Guntersville; Guntersville, Ala.)

> June 3-6* – Tennessee Triumph (Kentucky Lake; Paris, Tenn.)

> June 11-14 – River Rumble (Mississippi River; Fort Madison, Iowa)

> July 30-Aug. 2 – Champion’s Choice (Oneida Lake; Syracuse, N.Y.)

[Cecil]

Looking forward to the two tournaments with the top 12 at the end of the year. Although I hope they do not do a "hole format" like Bassfan eluded to. I think that takes away from the true strategy of tournament fishing. Will allow them to fish smaller lakes though.

$25,000 saved for entry fee's is nice but that gauranteed $10k for top 50 was a nice bonus, now down to $5k.

[Z-520]

I wonder how the people feel who turned down the invite to the Elites because of the entry fee. I'm sure a bunch of them were on the fence but that probably would of swayed them to fish.

[Cecil]

Sounds like they are not filled up yet, so they still have a shot to get in. Odds are most of them have signed up for other tournaments already...

[Z-520]

There is a good article on BassZone.com about this and it says that BASS also moved the Oneida tournament right on top of FLW Championship. Hackney and Ike are scheduled to fish the championship along with a few other Elite Pro's. I wonder what there thinking.

[Central Bassman]

My guess is that most of the guys that were schedule to fish the Elite are and this just made it that much easier for them!! The reason i say that is because most of the time if pro drop out its to fish FLW but they can't do that this year because FLW is full!!!

[TonkaBass]

I would be a little upset if I were them. That doesn't make to much sense to overlap tournaments of that magnitude.

[Central Bassman]

I agree Tonka, They would be fishing for a MILLION dollars at the FLW Championship, But they did that for a reason!!! Either you are fish the Elites or fish FLW

[frogtosser]

Is anyone going down to Iowa to watch the river rumble? I thought about it but havent decided yet.

[TonkaBass]

Not sure if I will, I would love to, but seems to be a long drive just to get jealous of other people who get to fish for a living.

[frogtosser]

well let me go a step further and ask if anyone is going to the Bassmaster Classic?

[Central Bassman]

I would love to go to the Classic, It the one of the biggest tournament in bass fishing and there is so much more going on as well.

[frogtosser]

I want to go really bad, I wish I would have went when it was in florida, my parents live down there. with all the booths and things to do its like a big bass fair i have heard. anyone for a carpool?

[Cecil]

Quote from BASS:

"That was not intentional at all and we're looking for alternative dates," a BASS official told BassFan. In other words, expect the Oneida date to change, which means Takahiro Omori, Mike Iaconelli, Tommy Biffle and Greg Hackney (who are qualified for the Cup) won't be forced into a decision.

[Central Bassman]

That is good to hear

[CarlWBL]

I'm going down to the River Rumble as a Marshal. All signed up and amped to go. Each day I think about what pro(s) I'm going to draw each day, and what questions I can ask them regarding their fishing and experience. Hopefully the floodwaters will stay away so I don't have to travel farther south somewhere...either way, I'll be at that tournament.

[Cecil]

Update

Norman, OK. – Six days after shocking the Elite Series pros with a revised Elite Series format that significantly reduced payouts while marginally decreasing entry fees, on January 15th, BASS responded to the Elite anglers’ concerns by adjusting both figures to marks closer to their 2008 levels. While it was never certain whether the anglers would mutiny en masse, in all likelihood these measures could placate the pros and allow the season to go on without major dissension among the players.

Most notably, BASS restored the $10,000 checks for 26th to 50th place finishes, an amount that had been halved in exchange for reducing entry fees from over $5,000 down to $4,000. While the $100,000 top prize from last year has remained the same, every place between 12th and 25th will receive less money, arguably to make up for the reduction of total entry fee dollars. The payouts are based on a field of 102 anglers -- should participation fall below that level, payouts will be adjusted. Entry fees will now total $41,600 for the 8 events ($5,200 each) instead of $32,000 ($4,000 each).

BASS will also pull $225,000 from the Angler of the Year payouts. The AOY will now receive $200,000 instead of the original $250,000.

[Central Bassman]

That is interesting!!! It seems like the cuts in entry fees weren't a good thing!!