Low enrollment linked to cancellation of Co-Anglers
BIRMINGHAM,
Ala. – The longstanding co-angler program within the Bassmaster Opens has been
eliminated for the 2025 season, B.A.S.S. announced today. Due to multiple
reasons, including fairness to the field of boaters and reduced interest since
COVID, the program has been shuttered.
Co-anglers
have been a staple in the Bassmaster Opens since the inception of the league.
Not only did these anglers get to compete for great prizes, but they were able
to learn from veteran anglers while competing. When COVID struck our nation in
2020, the number of anglers signing up to compete as co-anglers diminished due
to state restrictions and general health concerns during that time. The numbers
have remained low since.
Last
year, boaters expressed concerns that there was a fairness issue if they had a
co-angler, and competed against a portion of the field who did not have
co-anglers. Out of an abundance of caution to maintain the integrity of the
sport for the Opens boaters, the elimination of co-anglers became a topic of
discussion. This concern, paired with the reduction of non-boaters since 2020
led to the final decision.
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