BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 22, 2002 - This Thursday - Saturday, 52 of world's best anglers will compete on Lay Lake near Birmingham, Ala. in the 2002 Classic with the weigh-in on all three days on ESPN or ESPN2. Ron Franklin will host the telecasts with Jerry McKinnis and reporter Tommy Sanders. The winner of the 32nd annual tournament - the championship event of the Tournament Trail - will receive a prize package of $200,000.
ESPN2 will televise the weigh-in live from the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center on Thursday and Friday at 5 p.m. ET and the 2002 Classic champion will be crowned on ESPN Saturday at 7 p.m. (taped and aired on a same-day basis very shortly after the actual event). In addition, ESPN2 will provide live updates from the launch site with Sanders and reporter Kirsten Gum during the ESPN Outdoors programming Saturday from 7 - 10:30 a.m.
The coverage from Birmingham will culminate the first-ever "Bass Week" on ESPN and ESPN2, seven days of programming that also includes brand-new programs that celebrate bass fishing and outdoor sports. ESPN first gave the Classic such unprecedented coverage last year in New Orleans.
Anglers competing in the 2002 Classic represent 20 states and Japan. Texas leads the way with nine Classic qualifiers. The defending champion is Kevin VanDam, winner of this month's first-ever ESPY Award for Outdoor Sports competitors. VanDam is chasing a 25-year-old record: the chance to win back-to-back world titles. This has only been done once - by Rick Clunn in 1976 and 1977.
Bass Week on ESPN & ESPN2
(all times are Eastern)
| Monday, July 22nd | ||
| 5-5:30 p.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook -1990 | ESPN2 |
| 5:30-6 p.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook -1994 | ESPN2 |
| 8-10 p.m. | ESPN Great Outdoor Games | ESPN |
| Tuesday, July 23rd | ||
| 5-5:30 p.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook - 1997 | ESPN2 |
| 5:30-6 p.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook - 1998 | ESPN2 |
| 8-10 p.m. | ESPN Great Outdoor Games | ESPN2 |
| Wednesday, July 24th | ||
| 5-5:30 p.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook - 2000 | ESPN2 |
| 5:30-6 p.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook - 2001 | ESPN2 |
| Thursday, July 25th | ||
| 4-5 p.m. | CITGO Venezuelan BASS Event | ESPN2 |
| 5-6 p.m. | 2002 BASSMASTERS Classic Weigh-in Day 1 - LIVE ESPN2 | |
| Friday, July 26th | ||
| 4-5 p.m. | CITGO Bassmaster Celebrity Challenge | ESPN2 |
| 5-6 p.m. | 2002 BASSMASTERS Classic Weigh-in Day 2 - LIVE ESPN2 | |
| Saturday, July 27th | ||
| 7-10:30 a.m. | Updates from Launch Site of BASSMASTERS Classicduring ESPN Outdoors programming - LIVE | ESPN2 |
| 10:30-11 a.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook - 2000 | ESPN2 |
| 11-11:30 a.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Yearbook - 2001 | ESPN2 |
| 7-8 p.m. | BASSMASTERS Classic Final Day Weigh-in - Same-day | ESPN |