CELEBRATION, Fla. - BASS announced today that Anheuser-Busch, the premier sponsor of the Bassmaster Elite Series, will continue its sponsorship with BASS through 2006. Anheuser-Busch joined BASS as the premier sponsor in 2002, and in 2004 implemented its BUSCH Shootout award program.
"The BUSCH Shootout has created a lot of excitement on the Bassmaster Tournament Trail over the last few years," said Jim Lukowski, director of marketing, value brands, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "We've received a lot of great feedback from anglers who participate in the program and anglers who have qualified for the BUSCH Shootout."
The BUSCH Shootout is a season-long, $216,000 incentive program for pros who compete in the Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Majors. Anglers with the heaviest bag throughout each of the tournament competition days receive the $1,000 bonus, equaling $56,000 throughout the season. The top 10 anglers with the heaviest bags for the season qualify for the BUSCH Shootout.
Additionally, the angler with the heaviest sack of the 2006 Federation Championship, the 2006 Bassmaster Classic and the 2005 Bassmaster Open Championship also qualify for the BUSCH Shootout.
The 13 qualifying anglers will compete on an undisclosed mystery lake somewhere in the United States, under a modified format announced hours before the tournament. The dates of the tournament have not been announced.
The BUSCH Shootout champion will collect a $100,000 grand prize, and each remaining participant receives $5,000, for a total purse of $160,000.
BUSCH beer is the official beer of BASS and committed to supporting BASS anglers across the country through its continued association with BASS, and its sponsorship of Denny Brauer, 14-time winner of the Bassmaster Tournament Trail and 1987 Bassmaster Angler of the Year.