Are we selling ourselves short?

[PRIMETIME49]

It seems that after paying over 35 Pro-Staff seminar speakers and putting on over 12 really good events that we only have 3 good Tackle and gear companies left that are still supporting the sport of fishing around where we live.
I always asked a tackle company who would be looking to do seminars engagements etc for our area.The list was always very long and I do not remember a single person asked that refused.I do not think that it was because we usually pay $300 to $500 per speaker per day and did expect them to work the floor during the day they were coming to help.
We did everything we could to add to the publicity that these seminars were happening and had great support of radio tv and newspaper.People knew that Fishing Pro's were in town.And we had the best.
But now we sit like the Fishermen wondering which companies will be in on supporting the INDUSTRY in our great state.
We are pushing hard for a new format of fish weigh in's giving teams or individuals a chance at more than 1 prize with each entry.Keep the cost way down and having 3 tournaments this year with many planned next season and maybe a couple more added this year.
If this industry wants attention than the Boat Motor and tackle companies are going to have to awaken and get back to the way it used to work------PUSH IT up and out of recession --its not coming back by dropping endorsements or paying for the ride.
I am all for getting all ages of persons to pay attention to tournament fishing ,but do not see a future if those really intending to get a free ride from the sport if they are not supporting ,endorsing,or getting actively involved just because the economy is down.Lets think and act as the economy will be down another 5 years and do you simply want more people dropping out of competitive fishing.
Also to many chain stores are not allowing a board to post tournaments but.If you have 10 isles of tackle and no community board you have just slowed down my travel into your stores.Help us make this a prosperous lifestyle.
We do not go out and ask twice anymore about promotion as time is MONEY.If you see a brand name missing at en event thats because they simply do not chip in anymore.Maybe the company is sponsoring rodeo's Nascar or golf [which I do like]but they are not going to get those people to cross over to fishing by doing this.
Support your local fishermen and this industry will thrive