MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 9, 2011) – FLW, a leading tournament fishing organization, announced today that Ranger Boats has signed a multi-year contract extension as the exclusive boat sponsor of FLW and their premier tournament trails, which include 191 events in 2011.
The tournament-fishing landscape changed on July 24, 1996, when Jacobs purchased a little-known bass-tournament organization in the small town of Gilbertsville, Ky., renamed it FLW Outdoors after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, and signed major corporations as sponsors for the bass-tournament circuit — the FLW Tour. Ranger Boats, a longtime partner and supporter of tournament fishing, has supported FLW since its inception, making this their 16th year as the official boat of FLW.
“To have Ranger Boats demonstrate this type of commitment says a lot about their dedication to the sport,” said FLW chairman Irwin Jacobs. “FLW and Ranger Boats have been together since the beginning and we have enjoyed growing together and making professional bass and walleye fishing the exciting and marketable products they are today.
“Ranger Boats’ innovations are the perfect vehicle for today’s tournament anglers and offer unmatched safety and design features for recreational anglers while being tough enough to stand up to the rigors of life on the FLW Tour,” Jacobs added. “We couldn’t be happier that Ranger Boats has chosen to extend this partnership.”
As part of the sponsorship, Ranger Boats will retain exclusive exposure across all platforms of FLW, including its tournaments, FLW’s multiple websites, FLW Outdoors Magazine and various FLW events.
“We have such a tremendous history with FLW,” said Ranger Boats President Randy Hopper. “From the very first tournaments we’ve shared a vision dedicated to the growth and conservation of the sport of fishing. Our Ranger Cup contingency program continues to deliver the highest rewards to Ranger owners across the country and we’re fortunate to have been a part of so many advancements and opportunities in angling over the years. We look forward to even more exciting things to come as we continue to grow together with FLW.”