The following is a copy of an email that I received today

from David Hagood of the American Bass Anglers.

I thought some of you might find it interesting.

JT Bagwell

For immediate release

Nov. 14, 2006

BASS TO LICENSE BASSMASTER WEEKEND SERIES TO AMERICAN BASS ANGLERS, INC.

The Bassmaster Weekend Series Operated by American Bass Anglers will continue to send the

overall national champion to the CITGO Bassmaster Classic, the world championship of bass

fishing. American Bass Anglers also plans to continue the popular one-day tournament structure

and operate a schedule similar to the 2006 format. The tournaments will be conducted according

to BASS rules and under the organization's highest fish-care standards. The first tournament is

scheduled for January 2007.

American Bass Anglers has successfully operated a tournament trail for weekend anglers for many

years, said Jim Downs, BASS senior director of events. This gives BASS the opportunity to

focus on the Elite Series, memberships and publications while serving the weekend angler with

BASS-sanctioned events.

While all Bassmaster Weekend Series participants must be members of both BASS and American Bass

Anglers, BASS Federation Nation members and BASS Life members will receive priority entry into

the tournaments. Additionally, BASS will provide priority entry into the Bassmaster Opens for

the top six Bassmaster Weekend Series anglers from the Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship.  

We are very excited to work with BASS and its staff on this alliance, said Morris Sheehan,

president of American Bass Anglers. The Bassmaster Weekend Series is the perfect addition to

American Bass Anglers' current format, and to have a member of the Bassmaster Weekend Series

earn the opportunity to compete in the Bassmaster Classic is a great honor. American Bass

Anglers and BASS are fully committed to growing the Bassmaster Weekend Series to be the biggest

and best national weekend series in the country.

BASS will continue to deliver the news and information on the Bassmaster Weekend Series to

members and fans in BASS Times as well as on www.Bassmaster.com. More information can be found

at www.AmericanBassAnglers.com.

About American Bass Anglers

American Bass Anglers offers over 1,100 tournaments per year in 41 states that are designed for

the weekend angler.  American Bass Anglers commitment is to providing low cost, close to home

tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each an upward path for angler

progression.  For more information on American Bass Anglers and the Bassmasters Weekend Series

operated by American Bass Anglers visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call the weekend angler

hotline toll free at 888-203-6222.  American Bass Anglers is headquartered in Athens, Ala.

About BASS

BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the

BASS Federation Nation annually.  Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the

standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly

40 years.

BASS sanctions and stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the

CITGO Bassmaster Classic.  Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy,

magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of

services and support to its nearly 530,000 members.  The organization is headquartered in

Celebration, Fla.  

For more information, contact BASS/ESPN Outdoors Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit

www.Bassmaster.com.

You beat me to spreading the new JT. Great news for both organizations.

That is the best thing I've heard in a while. What a positive for BASS and ABA.

I could care less one way or the other but look at both sides. On the B.A.S.S. Forum the anglers who fish this trail have a different outlook on the change.

I was planning on fishing the Weekend Series in '07 and, as an avid B.A.S.S. supporter, was quite shocked that ABA will be running the series next year.  On the other hand, I've been around long enough to know that the ONLY constant is change.  I don't know much about ABA but I guess I'm in for an education, because I'm still planning on fishing the weekend series regardless.

Hillbilly

B.A.S.S. Said it will be run under bass rules in 07 but go to another siteARMY and the head guy at ABA

states that there will be changes made, who knows.I'm like one of the other guy's on the other board, "you don't jump on a sinking ship"

PutPut,

Maybe my 47 year old eyes are failing me more than I realize, but I've read the *** article twice now, and I still haven't seen any mention about rule changes to the Weekend Series.  What am I missing?

Thanks,

Hillbilly

PutPut,

Maybe my 47 year old eyes are failing me more than I realize, but I've read the *** article twice now, and I still haven't seen any mention about rule changes to the Weekend Series. What am I missing?

Thanks,

Hillbilly

david haygood ( v.p.)said it on the aba forum. and on the b.a.s.s. forum some people said they called aba and thats what aba said

Since my last post, I've also read that ABA has stated that it is likely already too late to make any changes for '07 and that any major changes will probably have to wait until the '08 season.  I guess time will tell...

I look at it in a different perspective.

I consider the recent trend at BASS:

- Allowed loss of 2/3 of Federation members

- Change in leadership

- Focus on Elites, and the reduction of other big tournament trails (minimizing the expenditure to operate a structure for up-and-coming anglers into the Elite series).

- An apparent transition into a Sell Off (this is what I believe it will eventually become, with a prize partnership with BASS) of the Weekend Series to ABA

In my opinion, If I were a competitor of BASS, trying to figure out what is going on there, I would have to guess that BASS is attempting to transition the fan base from away from a Participation sport into an Appreciation sport, sort of like NASCAR.  

If I was working at BASS and given this directive, I would follow the same lines of events, making the transition seem as seamless as possible, and with as little impact to the fans affected.  

I've heard that some trails and ventures are not profitable.  But any major change, venture, or shift from a new organization (such as ESPN taking over BASS) is usually expected to be financially unsound in the short term with anticipation of long term gains.  You make tweaks to your plan, but you don't abandon so much unless your directive has changed dramatically.  To make such drastic changes and so many changes after just a few years has me scratching my head.  The only conclusion I could garner, is either the brass hasn't a clue (which isn't true) or they have been given a mandate to change the entire focus of BASS.    

Again, just my perspective on the changes.  I'm sure others have just as equally valid differning assumptions.

With the recent flood of complaints about ABA, this is gonna be interesting.    No doubt that BASS has cut back on opens and other trails needed to help qualify for the Elite series.    ABA might be just what the doctored ordered, or maybe not.

Time to sit back and  

Matt.

I've been reading all the post on here, ABA and Bassmasters. I fish two different weekend series and enjoyed em as much as any other tournament series. I've never fished an ABA tournament, but I can tell you that if they dont do better payback then bass did it wont be long lived. There are too many other tournaments around that pay back better for the weekend angler. BUT we shall see!!!

With the low attendance BASS weekend series were getting its a good thing ABA is going to helping (running it) them. Otherwise it would be history in a few years if not sooner. I'm glad for the union.

Duke

(shoot) b.a.s.s. weekend series and a.b.a. are not having good turn outs look at the tourn. results. a.b.a. can.t get 10 boats a tourn.

70% pay back isn't all that bad and that is what both trails payout. I'm looking forward to fishing the Weekend series again this year, I hadn't plan on it until the change.

I could care less one way or the other but look at both sides. On the B.A.S.S. Forum the anglers who fish this trail have a different outlook on the change.

I just left the BASS forum, I didn't see but one post with a negative tone about ABA taking over the Weekend Series. Maybe I missed something.

theres 2 threads and about 4 pages on each thread

I could care less one way or the other but look at both sides. On the B.A.S.S. Forum the anglers who fish this trail have a different outlook on the change.

I just left the BASS forum, I didn't see but one post with a negative tone about ABA taking over the Weekend Series. Maybe I missed something.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't see anything in my thread you quoted about any negative tone about ABA. I see it will be the same here as on ABA's board,if your not 100% ABA ,go away....There are other anglers out here who have the wright to voice an openion the same as you. The guy's at BASS Weekend trail didn't ask to come onboard with ABA, so they should be ....well I know the answer you guy's always use "if you don't like go fish somewhere else" I've heard it to many times within the mix at ABA.

(shoot) b.a.s.s. weekend series or a.b.a. are not having good turn outs look at the tourn. results. a.b.a. can.t get 10 boats a tourn.

That's true.ABA struggles to get anybody to show up to one of their tournaments around here.

The merge should be very interesting to say the least.The BASS Weekend Series definitely needs a kickstart but I'm not sure that ABA is the answer.

There are some very interesting viewpoints so far.

Let's keep them coming.

JT Bagwell

[highlight]70% pay back isn't all that bad and that is what both trails payout. I'm looking forward to fishing the Weekend series again this year, I hadn't plan on it until the change.

The payout structure needs to be changed, in the regionals $50,000 for 1st, 2,000 for second, 7th was 750.00

Fish to win

PutPut, I didn't say your comments were negative. I stated I didn't see but one negative comment on the BASS forum, and I also said I may have missed something, you commented that this board is like the ABA board it is either ABA or nothing. Well I guess some want this board to be the antiABA. It has been said that we can exchange opinions here, and I was just stating my opinion and observations. One thing that I notice on all boards that is easy to voice your opinion using a handle. It ensures atonomy (sp). I don't want to tick anyone off, but unless you have fished a trail and have personal experience about problems that have been taken to proper authorities within the organization, I don't see any reason to just slam any organization to make you or your trail look better.

Again, JMPO

I for one have fished the ABA and BASS and do not want to slam any trail . Facts are facts .If you hide behind a screen door in a mud slinging contest you are bound to get dirty.This is a great forum ,at least they stand on the outside and look in with an open mind.JT Bagwell said it well. There are a lot of good comments on here ,let's keep them comming.

One thing I didn't care for when I heard about the merge was that you had to be a member of both ABA and BASS. More membership fees out of my pocket.

Perhaps I am not very computer savy but when I went to the ABAs website I had a very hard time finding the things I was looking for. I will go back and look again but I wanted the Indiana central tournament results and all I could find was the name and phone number of the director.

There will always be change and this one looks like a pretty sizable one. I guess I will wait and see how this all plays out.

Does anyone here fish the Indiana ABA and/or the bass weekend series? What do you guys think?