World Bass Enterprises (WBE) is giving two amateur anglers the opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to compete against 50 of the world's best bass fishermen for a record-setting $3.25 million purse at the inaugural The Champions tournament this fall. The event, scheduled for Oct. 28 through Nov. 1 at Sanders Ferry Park on Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tennessee, just outside Nashville, aims to create a true world championship for a sport that has long lacked one.
The tournament will feature the top 25 anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series and the top 25 from Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour, competing for the largest prize in bass fishing history. The winning angler will take home $1.25 million, with second place earning $500,000, third place $300,000, fourth place $200,000, and fifth place $100,000. WBE founder and CEO Brian Bird told OutKick Outdoors that the idea for including everyday anglers came directly from fans who repeatedly asked how they could participate in such events.
«You know, whenever we would do a podcast or we would do a social launch on one of our social media, there was always comments of, 'Well, how do I get in? The everyday person should get to fish in something like this,'» Bird said. «And so I just — it bothered me.» To address this demand, WBE will award two spots to fans who purchase the tournament's pay-per-view streaming package for $50. The package includes access to opening ceremonies, the tournament itself, weigh-ins, the Champions Dinner, and the pro-am event. A no-purchase-necessary mail-in option is also available for those who prefer not to buy the stream.
«We'll just have two anglers that we draw out of that that buy the pay-per-view that are just everyday Joes, and give them a chance to compete in this tournament at the same level as the professionals,» Bird said. «So I think it's going to be really cool.» The inclusion of amateur participants adds a unique dynamic to the event, as Bird noted that these two anglers may attract more media attention than the professionals themselves. «I think it's a story in itself for these people to get to participate in something like this,» he said. «At media day, I can't imagine the questions they're going to receive. They may have more attention on them than the pros do. Maybe one of them will make the top 15 to fish in the championship on Saturday. That'd even be way cool too. So we'll see what happens.»
The Champions is designed to be more than just a fishing tournament; it is being built as a full-scale festival. The five-day event will include three days of competition, media day, opening ceremonies, weigh-ins, a flyover, fireworks, a massive expo, a pro-am tournament, fan activities, food and beverage vendors, and musical performances from Riley Green, Lee Greenwood, Randy Houser, and Trace Adkins. Bird described the atmosphere as similar to what fans and athletes experience at a Super Bowl. Additional attractions include a kids park with a petting zoo, BB gun shoots, fishing activities, aquariums, bounce houses, casting and flipping contests, horseshoe contests, a beer garden, and food vendors.
Bird emphasized that the prize money was intentionally set to reflect the status of a true world championship. «If you're the best in the world, you deserve to see that big payday,» he said. Professional anglers, while skilled, do not earn the same level of compensation as athletes in other major sports, and Bird believes the purse should match the prestige of the event. The tournament also includes a giveaway of Bird's former Ranger Z521R 55th Anniversary Limited Edition 2023 bass boat, which he described as «like brand new.» Fans can enter by purchasing merchandise from WBE's online store or via a no-purchase-necessary mail-in option. Other prizes include ATVs, a trip to the Bahamas, an alligator hunt, and fishing trips.
The Champions represents a significant step for bass fishing, which has historically lacked a unified championship event. Bird noted that unlike other sports with clear champions, bass fishing has two major leagues without a definitive showdown. «I love the sport, for one, and I love watching tournaments, and I love watching all the anglers participate,» he said. «But I've always been like, well, who's the best, right? Because there's two leagues, and in all of our other sports, there is a true championship. You know, a Super Bowl or NBA championship or whatever you want to call it, and I just felt like the sport of bass fishing was missing that.»
With the combination of record prize money, top-tier professional competition, and the inclusion of everyday anglers, The Champions is poised to become a landmark event in the sport. Bird expressed hope that the tournament will not only crown a true world champion but also inspire fans and participants alike. «There's lots of opportunities to win so much stuff, and that's something else that's really neat about this,» he said. «I don't think there's ever been an event like it.»
