Wal-Mart FLW Tour Founder Irwin Jacobs is "driving" the
"growing popularity" of bass fishing, according to CNNfn's
Bill Tucker, who profiled the "in your face" sport on last
night's "Business Unusual." Jacobs owns Genmar Holdings,
the "second largest boat maker" in the U.S., which produces
Ranger fishing boats, and he also purchased Operation Bass,
the Wal-Mart Tour's organizer. CNNfn's Tucker reported that
since the formation of the Tour, sales of Ranger boats "were
up 30%." Ranger VP Bart Schad said, "In 33 years of
business, last year was our best year in company history."
In addition to Wal-Mart, "a host of other sponsors have
jumped on board," including Land O' Lakes, Kellogg, Timex,
Fuji, Coleman, Citgo, Evinrude, Coca-Cola, Chevy trucks and
others. Tucker: "When it comes time to weigh-in the day's
catches, the [corporate] logos loom large. And at Wal-
Mart's sporting goods department, where the next generation
of pro anglers shop wide-eyed with their parents and
grandparents, the tour's marketing efforts are clearly
paying off. ... With coverage from ESPN, the tournaments may
be poised for a media explosion." ESPN Dir of Outdoor
Programming Gary Morgenstern said the net sees "huge growth
and huge potential with 50 million bass fisherman in the
U.S." ("Business Unusual," CNNfn, 8/21).
