Tourney Formats for Future

[Tourney Man]

Wouldn't it be nice if the PWT, RCL, and perhaps another consortium of manufacturers (Tracker/YarCraft/Tuffy "TYT") could set up a series of tourneys.

PWT - Continue as now with a Pro/Am Format, open to all brands.
RCL - Continue as now, but open to all boats with a brand bonus.
TYT - Start a team tournament trail open to all boats, but with a brand bonus.
MWC ????

Coordinate the tournament dates and hit the best waters, particularly at the best times and successful release times. Forays into Canada if possible would be fantastic. And yes, I support digital camera's and weigh technology, though the hoisting of a nice bag or huge fish on stage can never be replicated for the angler or audience!

For these tournies to be successful, one of the things that will have to change is the money to contestants, which the RCL has striven to do, I give them credit. Fact is though, there just aren't enough serious fisherman out there willing to risk the money on equipment, travel, not to mention fees and loss of income on iffy returns and exposure. Between the RCL and PWT we have maybe 200-300 anglers who can seriously say they are on the big tours.

Whether thru television or affiliated sponsors, the entry fees must drop and payouts increase. It's a chicken and egg proposition though. Because without people willing to pay for advertising and tickets, the sport won't survive. But on the other hand, if the product and perfromers aren't top notch, no one will support it financially.

The basic truth is we need to see rapidly improving television coverage, particularly live or immediately following these events. I CAN'T imagine in 10 years we won't have this at least regionally. The tough part is walleye aren't a nationwide passion like bass.

Think about fishing 3 PWT tourneys alone.

3 days fishing
5 days pre-fish
2 days travel (minimum)
x 3 Tourneys = 30 days away from work/home
PLUS coordination and research time = 6 days?

$4600 or so in entry fees
24 nights minimum motel = $1000 if you live cheeeep
Fuel
Meals
Bait
Equipment (Boat, 4 of everything)
Oh ya, delete the 9 days at $25 the Amateur kicks in ($225)

Yes, sponsorships help too, but look at the costs financially and otherwise. Some of this is a write-off, but not forever without profit.

I'm NOT whining, I believe we are the cusp of some real growth and popularity, but the industry is going to have to find and grow more dollars to invest back into the anglers themselves. Those who benefit the most are the sponsors and manufacturers if they can translate exposure into sales. Think of it, I see about 50 sponsor names at our local very minor league baseball stadium that has low attendance, I love baseball, but local minor league baseball pales in comparison to angling in most locales.

Anybody else got the answers????

Tournament Entry Fee Donator (usually anyway)

[groovymoe]

I agree with what you are saying, however , I think that the one target that appears to me to be overlooked is the public. I have been to the P.W.T. tourny at Port Clinton, and was not impressed with the attractions for the public to view. If I recall the had a couple of prize boats, the stage, and a tent that for the most part was empty except for drawing prizes. The event was held in April, when it was very cold, and the water very dangerous. On Lake Erie of all places why would you not want an event that was held in warmer weather, when you could actually draw a good crowd, not worry about hypothermia deaths, and actually help the tourist trade in Port Clinton, and gain more exposure to the event. I'm sure some or most of the reason for the early date is for the bragging rights of having such heavy weights. My question is what will get more national exposure in today's media? Will it be Mark Brumbaugh pulling 5, 10 pounders, or somebody getting swamped (again) and drowning? My bet is on the negative. Just my opinions, and everybody knows the saying on them. What does everbody else think? I'd like to hear. Good Fishin'

groovymoe

[Sheila]

My opinions from amateur fisherman perspective:

There are plenty of tournaments and circuits for every fisherman's budget (see http://www.walleyecentral.com/tourneys.htm). Everything from cheap local, medium regional, to the big-time big-ticket national. You can't have the big circuits without adequeate (profit-making) entry fees. Period.

This year the 2 top circuits (most expensive with largest paybacks) are the PWT and RCL. A couple years ago it was PWT and NAWA. NAWA eventually folded, the PWT expanded from 4 to 6 tournaments, and the RCL fired up this year (thank you and hang in there!).

Both PWT and NAWA used to fill, and very early at that - like in January. This is the first year I've ever seen the PWT still have amateur openings for as long as they did. (Dunkirk next week is still open!). And the RCL has been just scrambling for amateur entries badly and pro entries since it's 2001 get-go. I have no doubt they will be full or close next year (2002), and all the former PWT amateurs will try the RCL - especially for the cash payback.

I think the RCL and PWT are are still priced right. I hope no one raises it next year (xfingers). I would like to see PWT put more cash back into the Amateur side - as I remember my friend Jeff Gibbs won $7,000 cash and $5,000 prizes as amateur a few years ago. Now it's a boat (most winners probably must sell just to pay taxes) and all prizes and plaques. BUT, Pros are all cash! If the PWT wants am's to keep coming back, they will have to put more CASH in there for ams.

I'm doing PWT next week (staying at 4 Points Sheraton at marina) going for plaque again... of course. If I win the Lund, I'll have to sell because I need fiberglass in Florida saltwater. Actually I need cash! But I will take all the fun competition I pay for and enjoy it for that.

I love the RCL. They are a class group, with gargantuan cash paybacks. I fished Erie RCL in April and loved it. The only change they need to make to survive - is to open the circuit to ALL BOAT MAKES and they'll grow like wildfire.

Which brings me to what I really wanted to say most:

This is a tougher year for the circuits (tournament directors will relate). There is almost a legitimate recession going out here. My business is feeling it for first time in 7-8 years. It's way off! And so is my cash. I'd be in 5 or more tournies this year - if I could afford the luxury. But of current, I can't (just a couple of luxuries).

I'm sure there are a lot of PROS feeling financial pressure right now at end of expensive season. You make it or you don't. I hope you do and come back next year so I can fish with you!

As for TV coverage - thank you PWT. You're always there and it's always so great. See PWT TV times at http://www.professionalwalleyetrail.com/

I will be taping the RCL Championship on TV as well. One day when RCL circuit takes off, they'll most likely add good TV to all their tournies. And I got my Bass magazine - with the Erie RCL tourney featured in very back 3 pages 138-140. Man that's a start! Let's keep it going...

We can all promote walleye fishing. Thanks so much to all those who make their livings promoting walleye fishing. ;-) Hang in there, stay smart or get smarter, and save some big ones for me. :D

[Eyez]

So do we turn tournaments in to an attraction like a state fair, and charge entry fees for spectators to look at huge displays and watch the weigh-in in person? Do something like B.A.S.S or FLW? Or do we go for the big time, and organize fishing teams and a league similar to professional baseball or football, where the team owners pay their fisherman to participate in a spectator sport that is funded by huge sponsors. Or maybe like Nascar? I don't think that any of the major walleye circuits are mature enough for that, with the possible exception of the RCL. Controversy seems to surround the PWT every year, and that doesn't make for good public relations. The MWC is seeing declining entry numbers, for multiple reasons. None of the major walleye circuits are known outside fishing circles. My non-fishing uncle even knows what B.A.S.S is, but has never heard of PWT, RCL, MWC or any other walleye circuit. Walleye tournament circuits need to market themselves better to the non-tournament crowd in order to bring money in from sources other than tournament entry fees before they'll be able to drop entry fees and increase payouts. Why doesn't someone start a walleye anglers sportsman's society, publish a good magazine, charge a membership, make the membership worth it by doing something like npaa does, offering discounts on fishing gear, and even non fishing merchandise, and use the profits from the memberships to increase tournament payouts, and use the tournament publicity to promote the club membership? Like BASS? I'd like to see a tournament that is formatted like the RCL only open to everyone where the championship round is covered on espn the way the flw is. Walleye tournaments just don't seem ready for prime time yet.

Maybe I'm way off and shouldn't even have opened my mouth because I don't have answers, but that's how I see it.


Eyez

Eyez@dotplanet.com

[TYT?]

Great ideas, it may be time for the thinkers to all get together and see waht needs to be done to keep angler interest as well as bring in the general public. However, TYT? Where'd that come from? Tracker has the money, but maybe not the intertest. Yarcraft? Who knows? They make a good enough boat but the sales are not there to just wizz away thousands being involved with a tournament. And Tuffy, they too make a good boat, but their sales are not there either. I can see how this may be a good vehicle to promote sales for any boat company, but the conventional wisdom asseses that there may be too many big entry fee tournies out there already. And there are the ever increasing tournament restrictions and the persistent (albeit not as big a factor) fish kill problems. I'd suggest that the thinkers get together and figure out how to better what is already out there and not fire up yet another circuit to vie for an ever decresaing angler and dollar pool. How bout this one? Why not have a Glass boat sponsor and a Tin boat sponsor? Give bonuses for each brand that does well. Every money winner. Or as the RCL, have a couple of boat sponsors. Or one big one and a few sub sponsors. Let's get the weigh in proceedures stabilized. There are so many more things to address than adding a new circuit. Chao. :-)