MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 2, 2006) - FLW Outdoors announced today that A&W Root Beer, a leading brand from Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), is joining its family of sponsors as the official soft drink of the tournament-fishing organization. Through its partnership, A&W Root Beer will sponsor a four-member angling team consisting of pros J.T. Kenney, Chris McCall, Robert Pearson and Shad Schenck, who will compete in 50 tournaments across the United States.
A&W Root Beer will be visible on all of FLW Outdoors' freshwater tournament trails this year, including the new Wal-Mart FLW Series. A&W Root Beer will also serve as the presenting sponsor for the third stop on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour March 1-4 at Pickwick Lake in Florence, Ala.
"As America's favorite root beer, A&W is proud to be involved with a tournament series that represents the same values as the brand, enjoying good times with family and friends," said Derek Dodge, vice president of the Wal-Mart Team at CSAB.
The impressive A&W pro angler team kicked-off their tournament season at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla. Jan. 18-21. At the event, Schenck finished 14th, the highest finish among Team A&W, and earned a check for $11,500.
Kenney is one of the hottest pros on the tour, having notched seven top-10 finishes in 2005. The Daytona Beach, Fla., angler has fished in 84 FLW Outdoors tournaments since 1998, spanning the FLW Tour, Stren Series and Wal-Mart BFL. Kenney got off to a hot start last season on the FLW Tour, placing 14th at Lake Okeechobee and fourth at Lake Toho before finishing eighth in the Land O'Lakes Angler of the Year race. During day one of the 2005 Stren Series event on Lake Okeechobee, Kenny caught a five-bass limit that weighed 32 pounds, 12 ounces, which still stands as the heaviest five-bass limit in Stren Series competition.
McCall is a veteran tournament angler, having fished the FLW Tour the past three seasons and the Stren Series since 1998. McCall is also a dominant force on the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail and has fished BFL events in the past. Overall, he has competed in 56 FLW Outdoors tournaments since 1996, earning more than $150,000 along the way. In his FLW Outdoors career, the Jasper, Texas, native has finished in the top 10 nine times.
Pearson, a Herndon, Va., native and FLW Outdoors tournament competitor since 1998, participates on the FLW Tour and in the Stren Series Eastern Division. At the 2005 FLW Tour event on the Ouachita River, Pearson caught five-bass limits on each of the first two days of competition, earning a $10,000 check. Pearson has been fishing for more than 30 years and remains actively involved in his community, introducing the next generation of anglers to the sport he loves.
Schenck, a Waynetown, Ind., pro, has participated in a total of 68 FLW Outdoors events since 1996, earning more than $159,000. He has fished the FLW Tour, Stren Series and BFL. Proving his elite status on the tour, Schenck has qualified for the FLW Tour Championship three times in his young career.
"We're excited to bring A&W Root Beer to the tour and we fully expect our team anglers to achieve great success this year, as they have in previous years," added Dodge.
Wal-Mart and many of America's most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com's sponsor page.
A&W Root Beer is a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of Plano, Texas-based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE:CSG). CSAB is one of the largest producers of soft drinks and premium beverages in the Americas. CSAB's brand portfolio includes: Dr Pepper, 7UP, Snapple, Mott's Apple Juice, RC Cola, Sunkist Soda, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Slush Puppie frozen drinks, Clamato, Mr and Mrs T Mixers, Holland House Mixers, Rose's, Mistic, Yoo-Hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars and other well-known consumer brands. For additional information on CSAB and its products, visit www.cadburyschweppes.com/csab.
For more information about FLW Outdoors tournaments, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
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