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History of the TOC?

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:44 am
by cdevette
This is probably a sore subject but I'm going to bring it up just to get input from you guys.....
I remember back in the early to mid nineties when making a "TOC" was a big deal. Trust me I didn't make it very much, I wasn't good enough, but when I did it was an accomplishment to say the least. It just made me work harder. I remember one circuit would give everyone a "last chance" to make it in the last tourny of the season. If you made the top ten you were "in" or something like that. I just remember that cause I made it to the championship that way once. Now it seems all the circuits are "well if you cant make it on your skills just give us your money and your in" (fish 5 and your in). I don't really remember when it changed to the "tournament of everyone". How does that make anyone a better angler?
Even if you win the "tournament of everyone" did you make it there on skill, probably not.
Now, I kind of understand that not everyone can make a complete scheduled circuit. That is why they have the travelers regions. Pick and poke the regions within a circuits to meet your schedule, but you still have to make the top ?% for the TOC. Also, why do we need to pay for the TOC's? back in the day it was part of the entry for the year. I guess the TOC is just another way to make some cash for the circuit.
The reason I bring this up it seem another circuit (if I heard right) has implemented the "pay to make the TOC" I just don't get it...I would much rather have a TOC that you have to earn it to get "in" and lower numbers of competitors.
Maybe it has to do with sponsorship $ isn't there anymore, does anyone really have an answer to why this all changed?

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2021 5:21 pm
by 104Jim
I often wonder this myself

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2021 6:50 pm
by gixxer464
$$$

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2021 8:23 am
by cdevette
Kind of what I figured...it just happened and no one really knows why :roll:

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2021 4:20 pm
by Fidlplr
This is a great question. You are absolutely correct. Back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s it was a big deal to make a TOC. Yes they made it a special event. They had a great dinner, giveaways and such. Now days it’s just another tourney. You could fish for free and only fish to win or you could pay to get in the options which would have payouts from 2nd place on down. I doubt we will ever see those type of TOC’s again. The only answer for this in my opinion is the circuit doesn’t have to hold money back for the TOC and they make more money.
The WWBT Pro ams and team event regular qualifiers are pretty much ran like the old style TOC’s. You get a weekend away with your buddies, lots of fishing and a great tourney. But how do they make the TOC step up another level to make it more special? I guess one way is to make it a no “entry with options”, great dinner and a live band with a good fiddle player. That’s my vote!!!

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:11 am
by ash
They used to give away boats as well, gas was $1.50 and there were three circuits to choose from. This allowed "sponsors" dollars to be effectively directed to just a few events. While it's fun to reminisce about the good ole days, we know that we won't see this type of TOC unless the org has big outside money sponsoring it. Those orgs back in the day also took a rake from every event to put toward the TOC. The market has shifted and anglers have expressed they would rather see larger paybacks at the scales then at the end of the year.

Some orgs still put on a guaranteed TOC payback, there are a lot of choices out there so anglers can choose what they want or communicate to the orgs what they want to see those changes. But me thinks we will not see pre-Y2K days again.

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2021 9:16 am
by ash
They used to give away boats as well, gas was $1.50 and there were three circuits to choose from. This allowed "sponsors" dollars to be effectively directed to just a few events. While it's fun to reminisce about the good ole days, we know that we won't see this type of TOC unless the org has big outside money sponsoring it. Those orgs back in the day also took a rake from every event to put toward the TOC. The market has shifted and anglers have expressed they would rather see larger paybacks at the scales then at the end of the year.

Some orgs still put on a guaranteed TOC payback, there are a lot of choices out there so anglers can choose what they want or communicate to the orgs what they want to see those changes. But me thinks we will not see pre-Y2K days again.

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2021 6:38 pm
by Smokie
I'm new to tourney fishing but am a lifelong fan of it, been watching bassmasters since I could walk and never remembered t.o.c.s having any sort of buy in type deal, but now that I'm fishing seriously almost all the major circuits here out west have a part where you qualify for the toc by buying into x amount of events instead of earning it, and I'm not a fan of that... I'm ok with my purse pitch going to the next guy if I didn't make the cut with my fishing... I fished my first club season where I live in southern oregon, with the rogue valley bassmasters, and you have to be in the top ten to make the toc and earn it in my club... I'm happy to say I made it, I'm in 8th or 9th and needed 10th or better in aoy points, and I feel pretty special to have earned my way and it wasnt just my buy ins that got me there. I'm so stoked to fish my first TOC since I earned it... I'm trying to fish the pro-ams and do the big boy stuff next year, and I'd have to say I agree and wish the bigger circuits had the old school make you earn your way deal still, it makes it alot more special to get into that group when everybody in it had to earn it imo... But I got my eye on the earn it prize I'm gunnin to make APEX and you gotta earn that deal, I want in... I'm fishin for the wood boys fishing hard for the big wood, but really four second palces next year will do :roll: :lol: it seems like you gotta win to break even these days and thats not helping keep guys out there anyways i noticed that right away... I figured it out boys, how to become a millionaire bass fishing, just start with two... :lol:

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2021 10:27 am
by ash
Smokie wrote: I figured it out boys, how to become a millionaire bass fishing, just start with two... :lol:
Now that's the truth, the follow-up is that knowing how to market and position one's image and ability to communicate effectively is what separates out the "professionals" vs working pro's. Having sponsors send a paycheck to you based upon how well you represent and market their brand is the next level deal and being able to pull weight in an event.

Best of luck in your persut smokie!!

Re: History of the TOC?

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2021 3:13 pm
by mark poulson
ash wrote:They used to give away boats as well, gas was $1.50 and there were three circuits to choose from. This allowed "sponsors" dollars to be effectively directed to just a few events. While it's fun to reminisce about the good ole days, we know that we won't see this type of TOC unless the org has big outside money sponsoring it. Those orgs back in the day also took a rake from every event to put toward the TOC. The market has shifted and anglers have expressed they would rather see larger paybacks at the scales then at the end of the year.

Some orgs still put on a guaranteed TOC payback, there are a lot of choices out there so anglers can choose what they want or communicate to the orgs what they want to see those changes. But me thinks we will not see pre-Y2K days again.
There were also 200+ boat tournaments and fewer tournaments.
Back in the mid 2000's Kent Brown came down south to Anglers Marine and spoke to a group of tournament directors about trying to limit the number of tournaments, so each trail would have better numbers at their events.
Everyone there agreed it made sense.
No one there stepped up and cut down on the number of event they held.
He tried.