Rift with BASS/ESPN

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Hey . . Whats The Story
2
Timeline of BASS Events

• 1968 -- Ray Scotts 1st Bass Tournament
• 1970s Clubs join together and become
  Independent Non-Profit State Federations
• Emphasis on Tournaments, Conservation Youth
• Lead by Ray Scott, Harold Sharp, Helen Sevier
  Bob Cobb
• Catch Release philosophy practice takes hold
• 1980 -- First State Presidents Conferences
• Last of the 6 man State teams National
  Competition
• 1981 Established 5 Divisional Tournaments
• 1989 First National Conservation Director hired
• State Federations elect/appoint Conservation
  Directors
• These CDs start attending National
  meetings/workshops
• No National BASS Federation dues up to this point

3
Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• 1990 State Presidents voted in 12 National
  Dues
• To buy insurance for State Federations and Clubs
• Put some Award Money into the Divisional
  Tournaments
• Our money, our choice, BASS to administer
• 1999 State Presidents voted in 3 increase
  15
• 3 to put Award Money into National Championship
• 6 for Divisional Tournaments Award Money
• 6 for Insurance
• Our money, our choice, BASS to administer
• Most State Federation Club Bylaws Specified 15
  (these bylaws cant be changed in less
  than 60 days)
• 2001 -- Disney/ABC/ESPN Buys B.A.S.S.
  Primarily to get TV Programming
  Advertising

4
Parks Resorts
ABC
Video Tapes National Federation Championship, Pro
Tournaments, and Bassmaster Classic Makes
Profit by selling TV Ads
Disney
Buys rights to TV broadcast of NASCAR Makes
Profit by selling TV Ads
Movie Production
Consumer Products
Radio
ESPN
Creates BASS Saturday Programs Makes Profit by
selling TV Ads
BASS
Main Audience is in the MILLIONs of Viewers not
45,000 bass anglers
VP General Mgr.
Natl Federation Director Pros
Conservation Director
Youth Director
Publications Director
Support Staff
Tournament Director
47 State Federations
2,800 Bass Clubs
45,000 individual members
5
Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• Early 2002 -- Both State Presidents and
  BASS/ESPN Agree that 5 Divisional Representatives
  are needed
• April 2002 The B.A.S.S. Federation Divisional
  Representatives Group is formed and all State
  Federations agree to its Constitution Bylaws.
• Reps must be current or past State Federation
  Presidents
• Elected By fellow State Presidents . . . 2 year
  term
• Only 2/3 majority vote of Presidents can remove a
  rep
• Constitution Bylaws can Only be Amended by
  Presidents
• Sept. 2002 BASS/ESPN Writes Internal Document
• Tries to rename the BFDRG as Presidents Advisory
  Board
• Written so BASS/ESPN has Total Control of the
  Group
• Rejected by the State Federation Presidents . .
  . 3 times
• Remains an old BASS/ESPN Internal Document and
  has no authority over the Divisional
  Representatives Group or TBF

6
Disney
ESPN
BASS
VP General Mgr.
Natl Federation Director Pros
Conservation Director
Youth Director
Publications Director
Support Staff
Tournament Director
Eastern Div. Representative
Central Div. Representative
Southern Div. Representative
Northern Div. Representative
Western Div. Representative
BASS Federation Divisional Representatives
Established in 2002
47 State Federations
2,800 Bass Clubs
45,000 individual members
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World Champion
Bassmasters Classic
50 of the Worlds Best Bass Anglers
5 of the Best Federation Anglers
Top Hook from each Division
50 of the Best Federation Anglers
National Federation Championship
Top Hook from each State Team in Division
Advances to National
Eastern Div. Tournament
Mid-Atlantic Div. Tournament
Southern Div. Tournament
Northern Div. Tournament
Western Div. Tournament
Each State Federation sends their top 12 hooks to
their Divisional Tournament
47 State Federations Have a STQT
2,800 Bass Clubs send their top hooks to their
State Tournament of Champions
45,000 individual members
8
Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• 2002 A National Youth Director is Hired
  (Stacey)
• 2003 Tensions Build Between BASS States
• The 5 Federation Slots at Bassmaster Classic are
  at Risk
• BASS Tries to Dictate to States on Sponsors
• State Presidents Vote 40 to 3 to Leave BASS
• Ray Scott Says Give BASS 6 months to Shape up . .
  . If they dont, Scott will Lead the State
  Federations Away.
• Oct. 2003 BASS, Presidents, Div. Reps meet with
  mediator in Atlanta
• Things Cool Down, But State Federations Dont
  Trust BASS/ESPN
• State Federations Incorporate Their Own Company
  The Bass Federation, Inc.
  (TBF)
• This New Company is Separate from the Div. Reps
  Group
• Each State Owns 1 Equal Share
• Texas Only State Not Participating in TBF
• BASS/ESPN Were Offered a Share . . . They
  Declined
• TBF Officers and Division Representatives Do Only
  what the collective State Federation Presidents
  Tell Them To Do. They are Non-paid Volunteers
  and Work For Us. They Are One of Us.

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McDonalds
Disney
Skeeter BassFan Army
PAA
ESPN
Pennzoil
FLW
BASS
Mercury
Yamaha
VP General Mgr.
Ranger
Triton
Natl Federation Director Pros
MotorGuide
Eastern Div. Representative
Central Div. Representative
Southern Div. Representative
Northern Div. Representative
Western Div. Representative
TBF
2003
BASS Federation Divisional Representatives
Established in 2002
Each State Owns 1 Share of this separate company
47 State Federations
2,800 Bass Clubs
45,000 individual members
10
Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• Four Main Purposes For Creating TBF
• Deal with BASS/ESPN on Thornier Issues
• Negotiate Deals With National Sponsors
• Bring New Monetary Resources Into the State
  Federations
• Safety Net in Event Affiliation With BASS/ESPN
  Soured
• Sept. 2003 Article in Bass Times by Dean Kessel
  said TBF Wanted to Take Control of the State
  Federations. TBF disagreed pointing out that the
  TBF Reps were Elected by the State Presidents who
  had total Control over TBF. Tensions Flared
  Again.
• Nov. 2004 Don Rucks fires Fish Fishburne
• 2005 BASS/ESPN Has Major Communication Problems
  with the Professional Anglers
• Late October 2005 Rumors that BASS/ESPN is
  Getting Ready to Increase Natl Fed Dues.
• TBF Tries to Get Definitive Answer From Gary
  Jones who is the BASS National Federation
  Director . . . No Answer.

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Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• Nov. 1, 2005 Gary Jones sends e-mail directly
  to State Federation Presidents Mandating a Dues
  increase to 20 and due by Dec. 31. This was
  done with No discussion with State Federations
  nor with the TBF Reps. There was no accounting
  in Jones e-mail.
• Many State Presidents Phone Jones . . . are
  Ticked Off
• Jones phones TBF to set up Emergency Conference
  Call
• Nov. 2 Conference call . . . The 6 TBF Divisional
  Reps point out
• In past State Presidents were always part of the
  dues discussion
• Jones had not provided accounting justification
  for the increase
• Jones had not provided accounting about current
  dues
• 45,000 X 3 135,000 taken in but only 50,000
  paid out
• Scanty payouts at the Divisional Tournaments
• States Clubs Bylaws specifically state 15
  Natl Dues it would take over 60 days to change
  all the bylaws even if increase was justified so
  impossible to get increased dues amount in by
  Dec. 31.
• Jones says he will circle back to TBF reps on
  the above issues . . . he never does

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Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• A meeting between Jones others at BASS/ESPN
  with all the TBF representatives had been set up
  for Nov. 18 in Florida. TBF reps purchased
  unrefundable airline tickets to Florida. Jones
  cancels the meeting saying he and others will be
  out of town. Turns out not true.
• Most State Presidents Tell TBF Reps to Oppose the
  Dues Increase until they can get some answers.
  It is decided that State Federations will collect
  rosters, State dues, and National dues from their
  clubs and hold until the issue can be ironed out
  at the State Presidents meetings on Jan. 7 13.
  Many States had been doing it this way for years
  and BASS liked the arrangement and encouraged
  more States to do it this way also.
• Don Rucks, VP and General Manager gets word of
  the above and hits the roof. He thinks TBF is
  trying to hijack BASSs money and decides to come
  down hard. Keep in mind, the dues money belongs
  to the State Federation membership and BASS has
  simply administered it for us in the past.
• Nov. 18, 2005 Rucks sends out his open letter
  1 to all Federation members. In it he publicly
  rips our Division Representatives (who were known
  by, trusted, and elected by our own State
  presidents) and fires them by stripping them of
  their BASS membership (several of the reps were
  BASS Lifetime Members). Rucks said BASS would no
  longer communicate with TBF (our own
  organization). Further, Rucks Threatens the
  State Federations that if we do not send in our
  increased dues by Dec. 31, our States Contender
  (Scott Parker) would not be allowed to
  participate in the National Federation
  Championship in Florida in January.

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Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• Nov. 19 30 -- State Federation Presidents and
  general membership are outraged by the hard assed
  and threatening tone of Rucks letter. The
  message boards are buzzing. BASS is being
  hammered on their own message board.
• Nov. 27 Robert Cartlidge, President of TBF,
  sends out an open letter e-mail to all State
  Federation members explaining the situation. (as
  has been described in the above bullet points)
• Dec. 1 Don Rucks sends out open letter 2 in
  which he tries to justify his authority to fire
  the TBF representatives and attaches 2 .pdf files
  that turn out to be the old Sept. 2002 internal
  BASS/ESPN document that was never accepted by the
  State Presidents and never incorporated into the
  Constitution Bylaws of the BASS Federation
  Divisional Representatives Group. Many State
  Presidents are further outraged that Rucks was
  trying to mislead (lie to) the troops. Rucks
  back-peddles in this letter stating that the 15
  is due by Dec. 31, but the additional 5 isnt
  due until March 31. Ray Scott is in the
  employ of BASS/ESPN and he is used to take the
  side of BASS/ESPN and is drawn into the mess.

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Timeline of BASS Events continued . . .

• The vast majority of the State Federations now
  feel that the time has come to fully empower
  their own organization, TBF. Many States have
  had enough of the BASS/ESPN corporate mentality
  to control them. TBF is instructed to set up a
  separate hotel facility for separate meetings of
  the State Federation presidents at the January
  National Federation Championship in Florida. The
  purposes of the meetings are to
• Discuss and vote on TBF business plan
• Invite National Tournament Organizations (inc.
  BASS) to present proposals
• Invite Major manufacturers suppliers of fishing
  related products service
• Discuss and decide on what proposals should be
  further pursued
• BASS/ESPN have been invited to attend TBF
  presidents meeting on Jan. 7
• After all the meetings in Florida, the State
  Federation presidents and representatives will
  return to their States after January 14 and
  present to their chapters
• All the proposals that were made
• What all the options are for the State Federation
  as a whole, the Chapters and the individual
  members.

See Next Slide for How this is likely to look
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FLW BASS/ESPN Skeeter Army PAA
Store
Affiliated with BASS/ESPN exclusively
Affiliated with BASS/ESPN exclusively
Pay 20 for magazine membership Pay 20 Natl
BASS Fed dues Pay 15 State Fed dues Have State
Qualifying Tournament Have Division
Tournament Qualify for Natl Fed Championship 6 ?
Berths in Bassmaster Classic
Pay 20 for magazine membership Pay 20 Natl
BASS Fed dues ? Pay 15 State Fed dues Pay 15
TBF dues Have State Qualifying Tournament Have
Division Tournament Qualify for Natl Fed
Championship 6 ? Berths in Bassmaster Classic
Pay 20 for Bassmaster magazine
membership Pay 20 Natl BASS Fed dues Pay 15
State Fed dues Pay 15 TBF dues Chooses FLW
contract dues ? Have State Qualifying
Tournament Have Division Tournament Qualify for
Natl Fed Championship 6 ? Berths in Bassmaster
Classic 6 ? Berths at FLW Championship
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Contracts with mfgrs/suppliers
Contracts with National Tournament organizations
Boat Mfgrs
FLW BASS/ESPN Skeeter Army PAA
Outboard Mfgrs
Tackle Mfgrs
Big National Retailers
Affiliated with BASS/ESPN exclusively
Affiliated with BASS/ESPN exclusively
All individual members and clubs have to be 100
BASS/ESPN
6 min.
Pay 20 for magazine membership Pay 20 Natl
BASS Fed dues Pay 15 State Fed dues Have State
Qualifying Tournament Have Division
Tournament Qualify for Natl Fed Championship 6 ?
Bertsh in Bassmaster Classic
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For some time I have believed that BASS would
cut the Federation loose because it does not fit
the ESPN/BASS future of producing TV shows for
profit, he said. Look for a strong organization
of worldwide bass clubs to rise from this mess.
There are plenty of good Federation officers to
get it done, and the bass-fishing world will take
notice when it happens. The bass-club program and
BASS were both started at the same time. I should
know, as I was there when it started.
Harold Sharp started the very first BASS club
and State Federation. Was Ray Scotts Tournament
Director for many years.
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In a Nutshell . . .

• BASS mandated a member dues increase. The
  Federation Presidents should discuss vote to
  approve any increase . . . not BASS
• The timing was such that it couldnt be
  implemented by their deadline.
• They have revoked the BASS membership of our
  elected Divisional Representatives. We knew these
  good men, trusted them, and elected them.
  Therefore we must stand behind them.
• In the letter from Mr. Rucks, he stated any
  State that one of these Representatives was an
  officer in the State Federation, that they must
  be removed and an election conducted to replace
  them. As this was in the by laws, that to hold an
  office you must be a member in good standing with
  BASS.  Here they want to use one by law and
  disregard the remaining by laws.
• BASS threatened us with our contender not being
  able to fish the Nationals.
• BASS/ESPN has drawn a line in the sand that we
  must answer.
• All the State Federations must stand together
  regardless of what direction we have to go in.
  United We Stand - Divided We Fall.

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Next Steps

• Questions
• Discussion
• Straw Votes
• Do you want to support your own company (TBF) and
  our own elected volunteer representatives?
• Give Dick authority to approve the TBF Biz Plan
  in Florida?
• Do you want to remain exclusively affiliated with
  BASS/ESPN or do you want to look at other options
  too?
• Do you want to wait until the January 24 NHBF
  meeting when all proposals are presented to you .
  . . then you take info back to your clubs,
  discuss, decide, and come back Feb. 28 for final
  decision?
• Do you want to stay United as one State
  Federation, i.e., not split in half BASS and half
  FLW? Majority to Rule?

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The End
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My note The below is an internal BASS/ESPN
document designed as a guide for inter-office
staff in dealing with the BASS Federation
Divisional Representatives Group that was
officially formed on April 23, 2002. Note the
below document is dated Sept. 4, 2002. The below
document is not part of the original constitution
that established the BASS Federation Divisional
Representatives Group. The original constitution
was not amended at any time between April and
September of 2002. The below internal BASS/ESPN
document was what the company wanted in order to
have more control over the Federation Divisional
Representative Group. The collective State
Federation presidents rejected it 3 times and
never accepted it. The below BASS/ESPN document
(.pdf) was attached in 2 parts of Don Rucks
second open letter to all State Federation
members on Dec. 1, 2005. Red highlights and
comments in red in below document are mine (Dick
Smith). B.A.S.S. Federation Divisional
Representatives Group PROCEDURES BACKGROUND B.A.
S.S. created the B.A.S.S. Federation organization
in 1972 with the express purpose of creating an
organized grass-roots entity that would provide
support to B.A.S.S. and the bass fishing industry
and that could be quickly mobilized for political
purposes. With the growth of the Federation
organization (48 state and 5 international
federations) encompassing 50,000 members, timely
communications and feedback have become
imperative. The need for an advisory committee
has been identified and the Federation Presidents
Advisory Board (notice how BASS/ESPN is
suggesting an entirely new name to replace the
Federation Divisional Representative Group.) has
been established under the following guidelines
and procedures.
22
PURPOSE The company has established the
Presidents Advisory Board (There it is again) for
the express purpose of offering advice and
support on a wide range of issues that are
relevant to the organization. The Board or
Board Members will operate at the discretion of
B.A.S.S. (This is what BASS/ESPN wanted, but the
idea was never accepted by the collective State
Federation presidents and was never incorporated
into the constitution) will have no financial
responsibility, and is expected to be ongoing in
nature. There will be five board members
representing the five Federation
Divisions. RECOMMENDATIONS Board
recommendations to B.A.S.S. shall be advisory in
nature and shall not be binding on B.A.S.S.
Board recommendations or position statements will
be directed to B.A.S.S. and will not be released
to the general public or media. Board
recommendations or statements of position to
entities other than B.A.S.S. shall clearly
indicate if such recommendations or positions are
or are not endorsed by B.A.S.S. The Federation
Director shall be advised of any such
communication.
23
MEMBERS The Board will consist of five (5)
members, each representing one of the five
Federation Divisions. The Board members will be
selected by a vote of Federation Presidents
within a specific Federation Division. Members
will serve a two year staggered term. Elections
shall be held on an annual basis and members may
be re-elected from term to term. Member
selection will take place per current voting
format as developed by the Federation in April
2002. DESIGNATED B.A.S.S. EXECUTIVE The B.A.S.S.
Federation Director will serve as Chairperson of
the Federation Presidents Advisory Board and will
preside at all Board meetings. (I dont see any
mention of this in the original constitution
articles see attachment . . . was it ever voted
on and inserted later? The answer is no. The
original constitution has only been amended once
and that was to recognize the 6th Federation
division) In the event the Federation Director is
unable to attend a meeting, the Chairperson shall
designate an acting Chairperson. The Federation
Director will be the direct liaison between the
Board and B.A.S.S. The Federation Director
shall direct the Board with respect to issues
that require advice and input from the Federation
as a whole and will serve as the primary
communication link. From time to time, the Board
will be invited to communicate directly with the
B.A.S.S. General manager and/or the Vice
President of ESPN Outdoors on specific issues.
24
RESIGNATION A Board member may resign at any
time by giving notice to the Chairperson of the
Federation Presidents Advisory Board. Any
vacancies shall be according to the election
process in section 5 of the Representatives
Constitution and Bylaws. DISMISSAL Board
members will serve at the discretion of B.A.S.S.
(I dont see this in the original constitution .
. . was it voted on and inserted later? Answer
no) Any Board member that becomes disruptive,
uncooperative, unproductive, unsupportive, or
continually fails to participate, in the sole
discretion of the Federation Director (the
original constitution states that removal is by
2/3 majority vote of the federation
representatives from that division. The current
existing constitution of the BASS Federation
Divisional still states that today), may be
denied participation in meetings and
functions. EXPENSES Board members shall serve
in a voluntary status without compensation.
B.A.S.S. will not be responsible for any expenses
incurred by reason of Board membership or
participation in activities of the board.
B.A.S.S. will only be responsible for expenses it
specifically requests the board or board member
to incur.
25
TERMINATION The Board will be terminated when
stated objectives have been completed or the
Boards work has become obsolete, or the cost of
operation has become excessive in relation to the
benefits. (again, I dont see any mention of
this in the original constitution nor was it
added at a later date) The Federation Director
will be responsible for making the determination
to terminate the Board. The General Manager of
B.A.S.S must approve the final decision. AMENDMEN
T OF PROCEDURES These procedures may be amended
only upon approval of the General Manager of
B.A.S.S. (the original and current constitution
states that amendments can be made only by 2/3
majority vote of the State representatives) End
of BASS/ESPN .pdf internal document. Again, Red
highlights and comments in red in above document
copy are mine (Dick Smith). Why did Don Rucks
include the above internal .pdf document in his
second open letter to all State Federation
members? Was he trying to document his authority
to publicly terminate the 6 Divisional
Representative who were elected by the State
Federation presidents themselves? The
constitution and bylaws of the BASS Federation
Divisional Representatives Group states in
Article III, Section 1 Removal of Membership
Any divisional representative can be removed
from office for any reason by a recorded 2/3
majority vote of federation representatives from
that division at any time, for any reason.
26
Disney
ESPN
BASS
VP General Mgr.
Natl Federation Director Pros
Conservation Director
Youth Director
Publications Director
Support Staff
Tournament Director
47 State Federations
2,800 Bass Clubs
45,000 individual members