“Our partnership with FLW gives us a great venue to showcase our high-quality, easy-to-use marine electronics,” said Gary Kelley, director of marketing for Garmin. “It also exposes our hand-held and automotive products directly to thousands of people through events like the FLW Tour’s Family Fun Zone.”
Garmin equipment will be used on all official FLW Tour boats, and Garmin will remain a visible sponsor of the EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League and Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail.
Garmin will be featured in a variety of media formats maintained by FLW Outdoors. The brand will appear on the “FLW Outdoors” television program, which is broadcast to 65 million subscribers of the Outdoor Life Network. It will also be publicized through FLW Outdoors Magazine advertisements, prominence on FLWOutdoors.com, product displays in the Family Fun Zone, signage at tournaments, angler-award programs, and inclusion in promotional and public relations materials.
“GPS technology is a must-have for competitive anglers who make a living fishing professionally,” said Charlie Hoover, president and CEO of FLW Outdoors. “As the official electronics sponsor for the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, tournament boats will be equipped with Garmin’s high-quality products, giving pro anglers exposure to both the performance and value that Garmin has to offer. The partnership really creates a win-win situation for everyone involved, and we are excited to welcome Garmin to the FLW Tour.”
There are approximately 55 million anglers who participate in sport fishing each year. This group of loyal anglers comprises a broad consumer base, creating a key element in sponsors deciding to pair with FLW Outdoors and the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, which continues to experience growth. The 2004 FLW Tour cash purse is a record-high $6.8 million, up more than $1 million from 2003.
FLW Outdoors is the world's leading marketer of competitive fishing tournaments. It administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, the world’s most lucrative bass-tournament series; the EverStart Series, the pathway to the Wal-Mart FLW Tour; and the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League for weekend anglers. FLW Outdoors also operates the Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Tour and the Wal-Mart RCL Walleye League for weekend anglers.
Garmin International Inc. is a member of the Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN) group of companies, which design and manufacture navigation, communication and information devices – most of which are enabled by GPS technology. Garmin is a leader in the general-aviation and consumer GPS markets, and its products serve aviation, marine, outdoor recreation, automotive, wireless and OEM applications.
Wal-Mart and many of America’s most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart has been the title sponsor of FLW Outdoors since 1997. For a complete list of FLW Outdoors sponsors and for more information about the premier products and services they offer, please visit FLWOutdoors.com.
For more information about Garmin International Inc., visit Garmin.com or call (913) 397-8200. For more information about FLW Outdoors tournaments, browse the organization’s Web site or call (270) 252-1000.