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| FishTails: July
2000 |
THE BASSMASTERS JOINS ESPN2 LINEUP
Worldwide Leader in Sports to Televise 2001 BASS Masters Classic
Montgomery, Ala. -- July 28, 2000 --The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society‚ today announced that its highly acclaimed,
The BASSMASTERS‚ tournament fishing series will be joining the ESPN2 outdoor programming lineup in January 2001.
"The opportunity to televise our programming on ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports, is the next logical
step for our company and our sport," said Diehl Unger, B.A.S.S., Inc. TV Executive Producer.
The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society is the world's largest fishing organization with over 600,000 members and over
2,800 local clubs merged into 51 federations in the United States and abroad. The BASSMASTER Tournament Trail,
celebrating its 32nd year, continues to be the most prestigious fishing circuit in the country.
The multiyear agreement with Tulsa-based Winnercomm calls for the production of 18 one-hour programs covering the
BASSMASTERS Tournament Trail, including the season-ending BASS Masters Classic. These programs will be aired Fridays
at 6 p.m. ET. Winnercomm will also produce 13 thirty-minute programs, which will be aired as part of ESPN2's Sunday
morning block of outdoor programming.
"We are thrilled to add the longest-running competitive bass fishing series to our extensive lineup of ESPN
and ESPN2 outdoor programming," said Gary Morgenstern, Director, Brand Management, ESPN.
ESPN has televised outdoor programming for nearly 20 years, including a block on Saturday mornings. ESPN2 features
a block on Sunday mornings as part of a weekly schedule of 14 hours. In addition, event programming in outdoor
sports, such as The BASSMASTERS series, is aired in afternoon time slots. In June, ESPN2 became the fastest network
to reach the 70-million household mark, reaching that milestone in 80 months, more than a year faster than any
other network. ESPN2 is now seen in 70.5 million homes, nine out of 10 ESPN homes.
"ESPN and B.A.S.S. represent a natural partnership, with the true benefactors being the fans. Unquestionably,
future generations of fishing enthusiasts will look to the ESPN/B.A.S.S. partnership as a major milestone in the
sport's development," added Sam Youngwirth, VP, Winnercomm.
More about B.A.S.S., Inc.
Through its award-winning publications, television series, tournaments, and the BASS Masters Classic, B.A.S.S.,
Inc. continues to set the standard for serving the needs of anglers as well as the outdoor recreation industry,
while protecting our natural resources. The BASSMASTER Tournament Trail, celebrating its 32nd year, continues to
be the most prestigious bass fishing circuit in the country. The trail continues to set the standard for credibility,
professionalism, and competition in a growing sport. Learn more about the BASS Anglers Sportsman Society at www.bassmaster.com.
For more information contact:
George McNeilly, B.A.S.S. Communications
(334) 272-9530 g.mcneilly@bassmaster.com
Dave Nagle, ESPN Communications
(860) 766-2000 or dave.nagle@espn.com
Sam Youngwirth, Winnercomm
(918) 488-6906 syoungwirth@winnercomm.com |
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