Bass fishing teams lure college anglers
By Matt Markey, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
What
In the sport of collegiate bass fishing, there is no
Bass fishing is about product, and officially has been ever since former insurance salesman
And while the pros have been at it for decades and watched their sport grow to the point where the top prize in their national championship, the Bassmaster Classic, is
During the last decade, hundreds of new teams have emerged on the college bass fishing scene, and such diverse bastions of education as
"This sport is growing like crazy,"
Financial support
This is not like soccer or tennis or cross country, where the investment in equipment is comparatively small. Bass fishing is expensive, and the college teams and clubs have mounted a veritable blitzkrieg on suppliers, retailers, and manufacturers in search of support.
"Sponsorship in the fishing world plays a huge role," said
"Right now, we have a couple of local fishing tackle companies that help out, but most of the costs come right out of our own pockets."
This summer,
"We took our own boats, our own trucks, and with gas, meals, and lodging, it probably cost each two-man team close to
The bass fishing team at Michigan State operates with the same financial albatross.
"We get no money from the university, so we really have to dig for funds," he said. "You have to have a connection of some kind with these companies because all of these teams are asking for gear and money, and the companies just are not going to be able to do that."
The manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers in the fishing industry are interested in supporting the college teams, said
"Sponsors are really willing to get involved at the college level because they see this as a positive thing, and an area of the sport that is definitely growing very rapidly," he said. "It is difficult to portion out resources and make it 100 percent fair, but the support is certainly there. It is rare that any fishing company would not have some kind of connection with college fishing."
"The manufacturers are all aware that this is a great opportunity to grow the foundation of the sport," he said. "Out there on these college teams, you see the next generation of pros, and a lot of other kids who will be lifelong bass fishermen."
That critical hook-up with sponsors is why
"Having this be an official school sport gives you instant credibility, and since I've been involved in the industry for the past 10 years or so, those connections are already in place,"
"We operate outside the
Benefits for many
"Sure they want to help these college kids, but this also makes great business sense because you have to believe these kids will be out of college one day and making a decent living," he said. "They will have money to spend on fishing products, and you will have already built brand loyalty early with them."
"Life is about networking, and in the fishing business it is about networking times 10,"
Vints Holden, manager of bass boat sales at
"We are definitely involved in fishing on every level, but especially in the teaching and learning experience. We want to teach them what we know how to do," Holden said. "It is important to the mission of
At
"These guys are coming to
"The administration people at these schools are realizing that college fishing teams can be a difference maker in the recruiting process," he said. "Maybe at a place like Ohio State or Virginia Tech, those five or 10 extra students are a drop in the bucket, but for a smaller school like
"A lot of college clubs have their hands out, but not many of them have those close relationships, the ones that can make us both stronger," he said. "When I talk to companies in the fishing business, they know me and they know that we're going to do what we said we were going to do. And I don't talk to anybody about sponsorship -- it's all about partnership."
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