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| FishTails: Apr.
2000 |
Letter from Ranger - Press
Release - B.A.S.S. Response
Ranger Boats will cease all negotiations to renew their official B.A.S.S. sponsorship
Dear West Virginia BASS Federation,
For each of us, fishing is more than a casual activity. It's a way of life. Over the years, we've worked side by
side to build, grow, and preserve fishing as a wholesome sport. To Forrest Wood's credit, he not only pioneered
such thinking, but instilled the importance of that role in those who've worked with him. Because of Forrest's
strong legacy of leadership as well as our position in the industry, Ranger Boats is both looked to and held to
a higher sense of responsibility.
It's from that perspective that I write to you to explain our position regarding B.A.S.S' new venture called World
Championship Fishing (WCF). We have long admired B.A.S.S. and its leadership. Our relationship with B.A.S.S. is,
perhaps, the longest-running corporate alliance in the industry. Together, Ranger and B.A.S.S. have shared common
goals and worked to grow the sport into what it is today. However, the recent introduction of WCF by B.A.S.S. is
an obvious change in their strategic mission. Unlike ordinary tournaments, this new emphasis combines traditional
bass fishing with boat racing. We've been told that this perspective is necessary to gain new audiences and make
the sport more interesting. We have a fundamental disagreement on this ideology. We believe that there is nothing
wrong with fishing and, to the contrary, we believe fishing and tournament fishing are wholesome sports, good for
the family and good for the country. In addition, we believe that fishing in and of itself is exciting and is on
the rise with its best days ahead. Ranger has always prided itself in building the best quality fishing boats possible,
cutting no corners with safety, stability, and fishability in the forefront. Ranger Boats is built on these principles
and we firmly believe that a departure from this plan with a new emphasis on racing would prove to be a significant
disservice and disappointment to our customers.
B.A.S.S.' change in direction coupled with the promotion of racing and glamorizing of irresponsible driving, especially
to those who are young and impressionable, is a recipe for disaster. It paints the industry with a broad, radical
brush and provides opposition groups with more firepower to severely hamper future growth. We strongly feel that
the WCF format has the potential of unleashing irreparable negative public perception and creating long-lasting
fallout. We can't allow this to happen.
For these reasons, we've made the decision to decline participation in the WCF tournaments. We plan to continue
through our existing agreement with B.A.S.S. However, we will cease any and all negotiations with B.A.S.S. while
the WCF concept remains in its present form. Attached is a press release further defining our position. We're confident
that once you've examined the issue completely, you'll understand our viewpoint and genuine regard for the industry
as a whole. Thank you for your time. We appreciate your friendship and support. I encourage you to call us with
any questions you may have regarding our concerns.
Sincerely,
RANGER BOATS
Randy Hopper, President |
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