MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 9, 2005) — FLW Outdoors, the world leader in professional tournament fishing, and General Motors Corporation announced today a strategic marketing partnership and multiyear sponsorship agreement that makes American-built Chevy vehicles the official and exclusive tow vehicle of FLW Outdoors and its 214 tournaments spread across eight tournament trails. It will be the largest and most comprehensive partnership in FLW Outdoors and Chevy’s 10-year history together of creating groundbreaking promotions.
Chevy’s TrailBlazers will continue to be used as tow vehicles for the Ranger Comanche (Z Series) sponsor boats at all FLW Tour events, including the Forrest L. Wood Championship, as well as the EverStart Series Championship and Bass Fishing League All-American. Chevy will be the title sponsor of the sixth qualifying event on the FLW Tour – the Chevy Open. Chevy will also hold title sponsorship of the BFL Wild Card tournament and be the presenting sponsor of the BFL All-American championship. In addition, Chevy will be the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors’ Fishing Challenge, an online fantasy fishing game.
FLW Outdoors and Chevy will also present “Chevy Pro Night” at local Chevy dealerships across the country where FLW tournaments are held as well as sponsor a professional angling team that will be managed by FLW Outdoors and compete in the 2005 FLW Outdoors season. Chevy pro team anglers will sign autographs and offer fishing tips to those who attend Chevy Pro Night events. The 2005 Chevy pro team consists of legendary anglers Jimmy Houston, Dion Hibdon, Larry Nixon, Kim Stricker and Luke Clausen.
Houston has been a well-known figure in the outdoor world for nearly 30 years. He won his first pro fishing tournament in 1966 and was inducted into the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 1990. Hibdon, a celebrated angling icon, claimed first place at the FLW Tour Championship on the Red River in Shreveport, La., in 2000. He has also claimed a Bassmaster Classic title, winning the 1997 event held on Logan Martin Lake in Pell City, Ala. Nixon, widely considered one of the founding fathers of pro bass fishing, has won two FLW Tour events and has earned $2,084,983 fishing FLW Outdoors and BASS events. Stricker is a veteran angler who has fished more than 53 FLW Outdoors events since 1995 and has earned more than $250,000 fishing on both major tours. Clausen is coming off a win at the 2004 FLW Tour Championship where he took home the sport’s largest award - $500,000.
Chevy pros can be seen at FLW Outdoors tournaments in NASCAR-style Chevy tow vehicles with matching Ranger Z-Comanche Series boats, new to the market.
As more than 52 million Americans spend time on the water every year, businesses are seizing an opportunity to reach a segment of consumers known for their loyalty to sponsor products. Through the support of corporate sponsors like Chevy, competitive fishing has exploded and FLW Outdoors continues to grow with the largest purses in the history of the sport. In 2005, FLW Outdoors is offering a total purse in excess of $30 million.
Steve Tihanyi – general director, marketing alliances and regional operations for General Motors Corporation – said: “With more than 50 percent of FLW Outdoors anglers driving Chevy trucks, it is clear that we have a strong and committed partnership with professional anglers as well as the millions of outdoor enthusiasts and their families throughout America. Chevy will continue to demonstrate our loyalty and commitment to those individuals and families who have a passion for, and enjoy, the outdoor lifestyle of fishing. As we have for over 25 years, we remain steadfast in our support and sponsorship in promoting and marketing fishing as one of America’s largest outdoor activities.”
As a sponsor, Chevy will be featured in a variety of media formats maintained by FLW Outdoors. Chevy will appear on the “FLW Outdoors” television show that will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net as well as the American Forces Network, the latter reaching over 800,000 service men and women stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard naval ships. Chevy products will also be publicized and featured through FLW Outdoors Magazine, FLWOutdoors.com, the FLW Tour Family Fun Zone in Wal-Mart parking lots, on-site signage at tournaments, angler-award programs, and inclusion in promotional and public relations materials.
Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors, said: “Chevy was the first nonendemic company to sponsor FLW Outdoors 10 years ago. Chevy also was the first infinity marketing partner with the Ranger Boats company almost 25 years ago. No one can deny that Chevy was, and continues to be, a leader and a pioneer as one of America’s first and largest corporations to recognize the importance and opportunities in supporting the millions of individuals and their families in America who enjoy fishing as a professional sport and or as a participant with a passion for the outdoors.
“FLW Outdoors is strongly committed to helping Chevy continue to grow their market share among the 52 million outdoor enthusiasts and their families and introduce them to America’s No. 1 trucks.”
FLW Outdoors is the world’s leading marketer of competitive fishing. Wal-Mart has served as the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and more information about them, please visit FLWOutdoors.com’s sponsor page.
For more information about Chevy, visit www.Chevrolet.com or call (800) 222-1020. For more information about FLW Outdoors, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
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