MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 4, 2005) - FLW Outdoors and Solar Bat, a maker of polarized sunglasses designed specifically for anglers, announced Tuesday an expansion in Solar Bat's sponsorship of FLW Outdoors to include the new Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series.
Solar Bat's sunglasses can be seen along the FLW Kingfish Tour and FLW Redfish Series as well as the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League. Solar Bat is a recognizable name on a long list of more than 40 brands that have contributed to FLW Outdoors.
In August, FLW Outdoors announced it would enter into the world of saltwater angling with the addition of the FLW Kingfish Tour and the FLW Redfish Series to its list of competitive fishing circuits. The FLW Kingfish Tour and the FLW Redfish Series aim to meet impressive demand in these arenas and grow the overall market for competitive saltwater fishing.
"All anglers need eye protection regardless of the species they target," said Solar Bat founder Dr. Gary Nesty. "Our sponsorship with FLW Outdoors has helped us market our high-performance eye protection to serious anglers. When FLW Outdoors announced it would be adding saltwater trails, we immediately realized the potential to reach a new segment of the angling audience."
With more than 52 million Americans spending time on the water every year, businesses are seizing an opportunity to reach a segment of consumers known for their loyalty to sponsor products.
As an FLW Outdoors sponsor, Solar Bat will be featured in a variety of media formats, most notably the "FLW Outdoors" television program on Fox Sports Net. Sponsors also benefit from prominent advertisements and news features in FLW Outdoors Magazine and at FLWOutdoors.com. Further publicity opportunities at FLW Outdoors include sponsor-specific product displays in the Family Fun Zone, signage at tournaments, angler-award programs, and other promotional and public-relations materials. Solar Bat will also have the opportunity to use the "Proud Sponsor of FLW Outdoors" logo on its products.
"Solar Bat is a loyal partner and a natural fit to sponsor all of our tournaments," said Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors. "Their products are specifically designed for active outdoorsmen and many anglers on our tours use them on a daily basis. I can't think of a better way to reach their target audience."