IT’S STARTING – ANGLERS ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE MLF/FLW MERGER
Looking back at last year you could see that a lot of anglers were not happy about the new style of professional fishing. MLF went away from the norm and went for a format that is better for the fish and also the tournament anglers. MLF also took a majority of the BASS Elite Series anglers with the start of the Bass Pro Tour (BPT) and that upset some of the diehard BASS followers. The events at MLF events also took a big hit when it came to criticism, not drawing the crowds. The post day follows broadcasted live also didn’t live up to the hype and were subsequently dropped after the first couple of stages for just the final.
Change is inevitable and people just don’t like it. However, the change was welcomed by the tournament pro’s that jumped over to the BPT. No entry fees and better conditions for the fish by not having to drag them around all day in a live well. Some of the professional anglers spoke out against the fans who were not supportive of the new format and were pretty blunt when it came down to the fact, they don’t care. I thought one of the pro’s responses was a little cocky and arrogant, but that was his opinion. Opinions are like a$$holes, everyone has one.
To top it off, the merger of MLF and FLW also upset some of the same ones that didn’t like the format. I’m not going to bore you; the article is on the home page. MLF is trying when the brought on the “Heavy Hitters” tournament and I don’t even think that was enough to calm the fans.
Several guys put in a lot of time and money to qualify for a championship tournament that paid $10k for just showing up and the potential for a life changing 1st place prize of $300k. These guys qualified for the FLW Cup only to be told that MLF/FLW would not honor their end of the deal. These guys worked hard chasing their dream and spending money only to have the door to that dream slammed shut in their face. Sadly, a company owned by millionaires and billionaires will not honor their agreement to these anglers! These anglers should be allowed to participate in the FLW title championship on the St. Lawrence River in August since it took the place of the Cup. Help me show these companies that the grassroots fishing community is more than just a revenue stream to fill their pockets!
Here is the link to the petition: http://bit.ly/2s9csoU
You make your decision, but I’m going to share one final thought on this. In the professional fishing world “WHO” is the most important person or entity? It’s the fan, not the professional anglers, not the tournaments themselves, not the companies that support or produce. It’s the FAN WHO IS THE MOST IMPORTANT in the situation. The fans are the ones spending the money to make this world work and without the fans, you have nothing. That is what everyone needs to be thinking about, what’s best for the fan?
Semper Fish,
Joe, The National Angler
