Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Tulsa will be the presenting sponsor of the Bassmaster Classic in February. The Bassmaster Classic, regarded as the Super Bowl of fishing, is an event owned by Birmingham-based BASS LLC, which sold the one-year deal for its premier event. ESPN2 will televise the '13 Bassmaster Classic, which will be held in Tulsa. Ad units from the network are included in Hard Rock’s deal, as well as promotional rights, signage, brand integration in the logo and graphics on the broadcast. Financial terms of the presenting sponsorship were not available. The Classic last year was without a title sponsor as it transitioned out of ESPN’s ownership into the private ownership of the Birmingham group. The event will move its site from year to year, and each year sales efforts will revolve around “civic pride and will typically target a company located in the area,” said BASS CEO Bruce Akin. Among the promotions that will be included in Hard Rock’s package is a boat, motor and trailer giveaway valued at $50,000. Akin said sponsors in the past typically have been endemic companies, such as boat manufacturers or the makers of fishing equipment, but Hard Rock represents the parent company’s effort to attract more non-endemic sponsors to the fishing event and its accompanying series. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino near Tulsa is operated by Cherokee Nation Entertainment.
