BENTON, Ky. (April 26, 2006) - With 56 existing sponsors and a growing list of prospective sponsors waiting for the opportunity to tap into an enthusiast fan base of 55 million anglers in the United States, the move was inevitable. Beginning in 2007, FLW Outdoors will hold its familiar Wal-Mart FLW Tour Family Fun Zones and two-day, final-round weigh-ins in public venues.
The move will accommodate the FLW Tour's record-setting crowds, which have topped 10,000 spectators during a single weigh-in, and allow more room for a growing list of sponsor exhibits by many of the nation's leading brand names. Currently held in the parking lots of host Wal-Mart stores, the present Family Fun Zone and accompanying weigh-in tent covers approximately 68,000 square feet. In 2007, the Family Fun Zone will range from 100,000 to 150,000 square feet depending on the local facilities and market.
"This is the next logical step in our continued growth," said FLW Outdoors Chairman Irwin L. Jacobs. "Our Wal-Mart FLW Tour weigh-ins and Family Fun Zones have grown so large, and are attracting such huge crowds, that we have started to overwhelm our host stores. While we clearly drive store visits and sales, it also became clear that, from a parking and logistics standpoint, the average Wal-Mart parking lot will no longer accommodate our tremendous growth."
FLW Outdoors' move to public venues will not only allow additional growth potential, it will also allow all Wal-Mart stores in a given market to participate in tournament festivities and share in the economic impact that the FLW Tour generates in the markets it visits.
"Instead of one store reaping all of the benefits from an FLW Tour stop, all stores in the markets we visit will benefit from hosting angler seminars and other promotional activities onsite while also participating in off-site Family Fun Zone activities designed to drive fishing fans back into the stores following our tournaments," Jacobs said. "This is a perfect opportunity for Wal-Mart and our other sponsors to reach out to new customers. It's also the perfect opportunity to take our sport to the next level."
In addition to every regular season FLW Tour stop and the Forrest Wood Cup, the Stren Series Championship, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour Championship and The Bass Federation National Championship will be held in public venues. Opening round weigh-ins for regular season FLW Tour events will remain lakeside.
"The move to public venues will further enhance the spectator experience and allow even more people to experience and follow our sport," Jacobs said. "Today our television show is available in 80 million households throughout the United States and 350 million households internationally, our Web site produces more than 5.5 million page views per month, and tournament participation is at an all-time high. We have also revamped our magazine and have some great momentum building there along with some exciting new promotions that will be introduced soon. We are thrilled to continue our leadership role in growing the sport of tournament fishing."