FSN TO TELEVISE WAL-MART BFL ALL-AMERICAN ON CONNECTICUT RIVER
Aug. 27 show concludes with distribution of largest co-angler prize in competitive bass-fishing history
MINNEAPOLIS (Aug. 18, 2006) – Tune in Sunday, Aug. 27 to "FLW Outdoors" on FSN as co-hosts Charlie Evans and Keith Lebowitz take viewers to the $1 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American presented by Chevy on the Connecticut River. The one-hour show is the first of a two-part series covering the sport's most prestigious championship for weekend anglers and concludes with the winning co-angler receiving a check for $60,000. This year's championship marks the 22nd anniversary of the first $100,000 award in competitive bass fishing. That historic award was presented to 1984 All-American champion Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla., for his victory on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Florida. All-American qualifiers represent the best of more than 30,000 BFL participants nationwide.
The Aug. 27 show follows three BFL qualifiers from the small town of Cleveland, Tenn. Nestled in the heart of the Ocoee Region in southeast Tennessee, this bass-fishing community is home to boater Mark Mauldin and co-anglers Pat Lay and David Marr.
FSN also gives viewers an inside look at North Brunswick, N.J., boater Robert Soley. As a veteran of the BFL Northeast Division, Soley ponders his chances for doing well in his first All-American.
Boater David Young might be the most accomplished angler in the 2006 All-American field. In 2003, he claimed an emotional Stren Series victory on Kentucky Lake just eight weeks after he lost his son in a tragic car accident. In his career, the Mayfield, Ky., angler has 25 top-10 finishes. A four-time All-American qualifier, listen as Young offers his thoughts on this year's Connecticut River event.
In addition, FSN flashes back to the 1992 All-American in Muskogee, Okla., where Kellogg's pro Clark Wendlandt rallied from eighth place to claim his first major victory. That win helped Wendlandt launch one of the most successful careers in competitive bass fishing.
FSN is the industry leader in providing the most up-to-date technology in TV production. FSN puts viewers in the boats with the pros, shadowing them from sunrise until the final weigh-in using innovative camera work that gives fishing fans the most intimate viewing experience available.
FSN broadcasts "FLW Outdoors" Sundays from 11 a.m. to noon ET. Check local listings for show times and channels in your area. FLWOutdoors.com also provides an online show guide listing what events are coming up on "FLW Outdoors."
FSN reaches more than 81 million homes through its network of 20 regional sports channels. Established in 1996, FSN is the only cable network that supplies national, regional and local sports programming. FSN serves as the cable TV home to 62 of the 82 MLB, NHL and NBA teams based in the United States, and produces over 4,500 live events each year. FSN has an extensive catalog of original national programs, including "Best Damn Sports Show Period" and "Beyond the Glory" documentary series, along with national packages of collegiate sports. Based in Los Angeles, FSN is part of the vast FOX Sports television family. For the latest up-to-the-minute sports news and opinions, visit the FOX Sports/FSN website at www.FoxSports.com.
"FLW Outdoors" is also broadcast internationally to more than 350 million households in such countries as Germany, China, South Africa, Australia, Malaysia, Russia, Hungary and the United Kingdom, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoor-sports television show in the world. Additionally, FLW Outdoors is proud to provide tournament coverage to more than 800,000 service men and women stationed around the world in 177 countries and aboard Navy ships through broadcasts on the American Forces Network.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu Garcia, Stratos Owners' Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These circuits offer combined purses exceeding $37.9 million through 249 events in 2006.
Wal-Mart and many of America's largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors sponsor in 1997 and today is the world's leading supporter of tournament fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournament programs, visit FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
