By Steve Graf    

Are the “good ol’ days” of the Bassmaster Classic behind us? Has the Super Bowl of bass fishing
lost its luster? Have we lost a generation of fans who refuse to watch a Bassmaster weigh-in?
Has real time live coverage become a factor deterring people from wanting to attend the
Classic weigh-in?  Here’s my perspective on whether it’s time to address some of the issues
facing the Bassmaster organization.

There was a time when the Bassmaster Classic was the event of the year in the world of
professional bass fishing, and it still is but in a different manner. People around the world tune
into this event as more and more top anglers continue to come across the pond and fish against
the best anglers in the world.

For years, arenas were packed to the roof to watch a Classic weigh-in. Crowds up to 20,000
were so big, they had to turn away fans due to the limited capacity of the arena. It wasn’t just a
weigh-in, it was a show! It was where celebrities showed up, including Presidents, to watch the
best anglers in the world at the biggest event in the world of professional bass fishing.

It was a sponsor’s exposure dream show with truck and boat wraps highlighting their company
logos. Every Bassmaster Classic’s huge video board honored champions and the history of the
sport. But the pinnacle of excitement was the drama of not knowing who would be leading at
the end of the daily weigh-in.

Then what most thought was the greatest thing to happen to the sport of professional bass
fishing, ESPN purchased B.A.S.S. (Bassmaster organization) and offered live daily coverage. This
took the sport to another level, but it eliminated the suspense of the weigh-in because people
already knew what each angler had based on the live coverage they watched all day.  

Even when the daily live TV coverage stopped, people switched over to the internet where live
coverage continued up to one hour before the weigh-in. So, they (B.A.S.S.) once again
eliminated the suspense and the drama that comes with a Classic weigh-in. 

Attendance is down for a lot of major sports across the country as live TV/internet coverage has
allowed people to stay home and watch it from the comfort of their favorite chairs with their
own supply of snacks that don’t cost a fortune.

No longer do fans have to sit in long traffic jams or wade through thousands of people trying to
enter a stadium. No longer are they willing to pay up to $50 for parking as host cities abuse and
take advantage of people wanting to attend a Classic. It’s just easier to watch it from home!

So how can the Bassmaster organization fix this problem? First, if they are going to continue
with live coverage, maybe move the weigh-ins back to the lake. Or they need to make sure the
Expo show is at the same location as the Classic weigh-in so that fans don’t have to pay double
parking to attend both. 

When it comes to live broadcasts, maybe they need to shorten the coverage so that fans don’t
know exactly what the anglers have until they watch the weigh-in.

If I remember right, the Classic weigh-in used to be delayed a few hours and aired at night. But
with social media today, I’m not sure if that’s even possible. With respect to live coverage, you
can’t put the genie back in the bottle. 

The time has come for B.A.S.S. to re-evaluate the Bassmaster Classic and how it’s being
covered. While live coverage has been a game changer for the sport of professional bass
fishing, B.A.S.S. now has the task of trying to figure out what’s more important — people
attending a Classic weigh-in or continuing with live up-to-the-minute TV and internet coverage.

‘Til next time, keep your hooks wet, fresh line on your reels and go fishing every chance you
get. 

Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com