MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (Jan. 29, 2009) - FLW Outdoors announced Thursday that FLW Fantasy Fishing clinched awards in both categories in which nominated at the 2009 Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA)Winter Business Conference and Research Symposium.
The FSTA presented FLW Fantasy Fishing with the awards at Tuesday's awards ceremony in St. Pete's Beach, Fla. FLW Fantasy Fishing received awards in two categories - Live Fantasy Event or Contest and Unique Contest. Other nominees in these categories consisted of industry heavyweights such as AOL Sports, ESPN, Head2Head Match Play Madness and Pay the Fan Fantasy Sports.
"The FSTA is proud to recognize FLW Fantasy Fishing's achievements," said FSTA's Association Manager Justin Cleveland. "Their innovative contest has set the bar high for the industry both in terms of competition and the prospective reach of fantasy sports into new markets. I am excited to see this contest continue to grow."
In 2008, FLW Fantasy Fishing's inaugural year, it crowned Michael Thompson of Minneapolis, Minn., fantasy sports' historical first $1million cash winner. Additionally, there were seven $100,000 cash winners during the seven FLW Tour tournaments along with more than 4,000 additional prizes ranging from a $39,565 Chevy Silverado to a $51,495 Ranger Z19 bass boat to hundreds of thousands of cash cards from Walmart to BP gas cards.
"FLW Fantasy Fishing is something we have worked tirelessly on and we are proud to be recognized with these awards, especially competing against AOL, ESPN and many other fantasy game operators," said FLW Outdoors Chairman Irwin Jacobs. "Participation in FLW Fantasy Fishing has grown exponentially and excitement about it is breaking barriers and reaching people who aren't necessarily fishermen. The FLW Fantasy Fishing game has positively transformed many individuals' lives and their families' lives all over the world.
"In 2009 we've created additional opportunities by offering an additional $3 million in cash, plus enhanced features and tools such as Player's Advantage for the unbelievable price of only $10 for the entire season," Jacobs added. "In 2008 Player's Advantage proved to be the invaluable advantage to its members by winning four times more often than those who weren't Player's Advantage members. Visit fantasyfishing.com to see and hear directly from last year's Fantasy Fishing winners how their lives were changed in 2008 by playing the richest fantasy sports game in the world."
On Aug. 21, 2008, at the Colonial Center in Columbia, S.C., before a throng of fishing and fantasy sports fans, Thompson ripped open a three-foot card to reveal that he had come in first place in the season-long chase for the FLW Fantasy Fishing $1 million grand prize.
"FLW Fantasy Fishing obviously changed mine and my family's life forever in the most positive way," said Thompson, who recently purchased his dream house on 40 acres in Minnesota thanks in large part to his FLW Fantasy Fishing Player's Advantage membership. "I can't wait for the 2009 season to begin as I have already signed up for Player's Advantage and recruited many more of my family and friends to also play the game. The prizes being offered by FLW Fantasy Fishing are unbelievable and to think that someone again will win a guaranteed $1 million in cashor possibly $3 or even $5 million in cash is truly amazing, if not remarkable. Playing the world's richest and largest fantasy sports game not only offers tremendous prizes, but also improves relationships and camaraderie among family and friends who can and will enjoy playing Fantasy Fishing together."
There is an additional new game to Fantasy Fishing in 2009 - "The $3 Million Power Hook" in the Forrest Wood Cup Championship. FLW Fantasy Fishing will be offering this additional cash prize of $3 million in cash to any individual who selects the first- through fifth-place anglers in their exact winning positions at the Forrest Wood Cup Championship which begins on July 30 and concludes on Aug. 2, 2009. There will be only 77 professional anglers competing in the Forrest Wood Cup whereas in all of the other six FLW Tour qualifying events there will be approximately 150 professional anglers. Participants will also have the opportunity to win an additional guaranteed $5 million in cash in the "Rank 7 Exacta Bonus Game" for any player who selects the first through seventh top finishers in any one of the FLW Tour qualifying events in 2009 in their exact winning positions.
Another new addition will be a newly-developed referral program allowing participants to earn back $2 in cash for every $10 Player's Advantage membership they are responsible for referring and signing up. Basically, participants earn 20 percent cash payback for all Player's Advantage cash memberships they register. If an individual signs up five players, they will receive their own Player's Advantage for free. If they register 100 Player's Advantage members, they will receive $200 in cash. If they sign up 1,000 members, they will receive $2,000 in cash. Or imagine for being responsible for registering 10,000 people and earning $20,000 in cash. There are no limits to the amount one can earn in recruiting Player's Advantage members. All recruiting cash due to those individuals will be paid within 30 days upon conclusion of the Forrest Wood Cup Championship on Aug. 2, 2009.