Kevin Van Dam Forums

They should allow a certain amount of the women in each Bassmasters tourny. I think that each lady should put their name into a draw if they want to fish and they should have a strict limit of 15 women in each tourny. Once they have fished a tourny then they wouldn’t be allowed to fish another one until everyone gets a chance to fish one. IMO.

I wasn’t trying to make BASS out to be the bad guy here but they are cash driven after all Disney owns ESPN who owns BASS,  I know becuase I used to work for Disney.  In my opinion BASS made a big mistake when they hired Ricks,  he created controversary when he came in then he was silent for a while and now creating more controversary.  BASS did anounce they were going to afford every woman who wanted to fish an opportunity at some level but I guarentee no woman was offered a chance to fish the Elites,  I think that the past WBT champions or AOYs should get an invite to the Elites the rest quarenteed spots in the open of their choice.  Oh another thought about ESPN, Disney and BASS,  Bassmasters will never be shown on another network other than ESPN becuase of the whole who owns who thing unless they can the other networks like WFN, Versus or the OTDCH to pay top dollar.  Also if BASS wanted the WBT to succeed why didn’t they air their tournaments on ESPN or contract out to another network.  The women have gotten the raw deal all along and will continue too becuase we as men think their place is in the home not in the work place.  Our wives,  duaghters, nieces and mothers have lost a chance and its sad.  Animals or fish don’t know who,  what race,  age or gender are pursueing them and thats what makes our sport so special,  its great being able to share the sport I love with my wife, mother in law and nieces.  Hopefully BASS will see it error and correct it soon for the sake and growth of bassfishing.

How about giving them 15 boats and let them be women only in them and allow them to enter the tournament. I guess that sounds like a merger but it may become a problem with women in the boat with a man all day and could spark a jeoious wife and I for one wouldn’t want to get in the middle of that one for sure.
Just seem to me there must be some way we can help the ladies out and still keep the wheels turning.
Niko

I dont like them shutting down the WBT either. Hopefully some of the ladies can qualify through the Opens, Fed Nation, or the Weekend series. Or if they choose there is the FLW and its routes to fish that tour.
I wonder if Academy Sports pulled as the major sponsor and if that had anything to do with this.

You would hope that if a major sponsor pulled BASS would announce something like that. When the top 3 levels of NASCAR changed major sponsors it was out there for all to know well in advance. And I think it helps fill that void when people who might not truely follow the sport see a potential oppurtunity.

After you read the bad news there’s the “get a free tackle bag- join now now” right below it. Nice.  I agree, a bass doesn’t care who’s after them.  I just want to watch skilled anglers compete.

Im going to take this oppurtunity to express my concerns with the Bass Masters magazine to. Why is the coverage of the tournaments so far behind the current issue? Day at the Lake I think thats fine to run late, but the tournaments? And in the last issue they are just now doing the top 50 from Icast from July? Recently Ive found some FLW magazines and from top to bottom I think its a much better read and I even enjoy there coverage of tournaments more. I do not know if those are delayed like in BM, but thats ok cos I dont get versus any more so its not like I saw the tv coverage a month or two before reading about it in the magazine. For the time being come on dish network!

I don’t really know that much about it from my point of view, They don’t really show it that often on t.v. I have learned a few thangs from them though. I think though if your going to hold a bass tourney it doesn’t matter if your a man or a lady, you should be givin an equal opportunity, and with the Show’s not being aired or them pulling out of WB fishing they should let them fish in BASS or FLW, same as the men. Qualifying for OPENS, or whatever. It was bad to see BASS do that. But you don’t see…....MEN"S Bassmaster Classic. It’s just Bassmaster Classic. Or the ELITE SERIES.