With the smell of spring in the air in parts of the country, Major League Fishing (MLF) is gearing up to start its 2021 season on the heels of a shortened-yet-successful 2020 campaign.
MLF proved to be a dominating force in 2020 with towering competitive bass fishing programming and ratings to prove it. With fans seeking content on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network and others, MLF eclipsed all competitive bass fishing programming on television and easily stands alone as cable’s most-watched fishing competition.
“Despite a year in which no one could have imagined or prepared for, Major League Fishing once again proved to be the overwhelming choice of bass fishing fans wanting to watch top-caliber competition on television,” Major League Fishing President and CEO Jim Wilburn stated. “With the travails of 2020 almost behind us, we look to 2021 and a competitive season that will continue to rev up viewers and fans of competitive bass fishing.”
Highlights from 2020 ratings include:
- With nearly than 1,300 combined hours of television coverage during 2020, Major League Fishing, which airs on cable partners: Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, Discovery Channel and CBS Sports, has accounted for a staggering 80% of all viewership of professional competitive bass fishing programs on cable television for the year.
- Fans ofMajor League Fishing seek it out regardless of the network. World Fishing Network delivered +12% more average audience than its top competitor’s elite series on Pursuit Channel during 2020, despite having just one-ninth of the distribution.
- Based on Nielsen in 2020,Major League Fishing’s household impressions on Outdoor Channel Saturday’s 2-4 p.m. time period surpassed its main competitor’s live telecasts on ESPN 2 by +6%, despite having nearly one-third the distribution.
And, as the snow thaws and ice-fishing season concludes, the 2021 season promises to bring excitement and entertainment with a schedule of events that include:
2021 MLF Bass Pro Tour Schedule:
• March 21-26 Toro Stage One at Sam Rayburn Reservoir Jasper, Texas
• April 9-14 General Tire HEAVY HITTERS Raleigh, N.C.
• April 30-May 5 Berkley Stage Two at Lake Travis Austin, Texas
• May 21-26 Favorite Fishing Stage Three at Harris Chain of Lakes Leesburg, Fla.
• June 4-9 B&W Trailer Hitches Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Dayton, Tenn.
• June 25-30 General Tire Stage Five at St. Lawrence River Massena, N.Y.
• Aug. 5-10 Bass Pro Tour Stage Six at Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, N.Y.
• Sept. 10-15 Bass Pro Tour Stage Seven at Lake St. Clair St. Clair Shores, Mich.
• March 22-26, 2022 REDCREST 2022 at Grand Lake Tulsa, Okla.
For more information about Major League Fishing and Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks visit: www.MajorLeagueFishing.com and www.outdoorsg.com
About Major League Fishing: Founded in 2011, Major League Fishing (MLF) brings the high-intensity sport of competitive bass fishing into America’s living rooms on Outdoor Channel, Sportsman Channel, World Fishing Network, Discovery, CBS, CBS Sports Network and on-demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). The Bass Pro Tour consists of eight events and a championship streamed live on www.MajorLeagueFishing.com and MOTV. MLF uses the entertaining and conservation-friendly catch, weigh and immediate-release format where every scorable bass counts and the winner is the angler with the highest cumulative weight. In late 2019 MLF acquired FLW, which expands their portfolio to include the world’s largest grassroots fishing organization, including the strongest five-fish format professional bass fishing tour, the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, as well as the Toyota Series, Phoenix Bass Fishing League presented by T-H Marine, and Abu Garcia College Fishing presented by YETI, and High School Fishing presented by Favorite Fishing. For more in-depth coverage, see Game & Fish magazine, the official publication of MLF.
About Outdoor Channel: Outdoor Channel has been taking viewers across America and around the world on unparalleled adventures since 1993. Dedicated to the outdoor lifestyle and conservation, the independent cable network is a division of Outdoor Sportsman Group and provides a complete spectrum of riveting hunting, fishing, shooting and adventure entertainment. Outdoor Channel is the largest outdoor TV footprint in the country and is available in more than 50 countries internationally. Outdoor Channel can be viewed in HD and is accessible by broadband and mobile platforms. For program times and other information, visit www.outdoorchannel.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube . #WhatGetsYouOutdoors. #MyOutdoorTV
About Sportsman Channel: Launched in 2003, Sportsman Channel/Sportsman HD/Sportsman Channel Canada (added in 2019) are television and digital media networks fully devoted to honoring a lifestyle that is celebrated by millions of North Americans. A division of Outdoor Sportsman Group, Sportsman Channel/Sportsman Canada delivers entertaining and informative programming that showcases outdoor adventure, hunting and fishing, and illustrates it through unique and authentic storytelling. Sportsman Channel/Sportsman Channel Canada embrace the attitude of celebrating the Great Outdoors in equal measure. Stay connected to Sportsman Channel online at thesportsmanchannel.com, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. #IAmSportsman. #MyOutdoorTV
Source: Comscore, TV Essentials, Network Quarter Hour Comparison Report. All Networks, Average Audience L+7, Jan 2020 – Dec 2020, All telecasts of Major League Fishing vs. Bassmasters, U.S. Total Hours calculated as: AA Live+7 * Average Duration = Total Minutes, Total Minutes / 60 = Total Hours. *calculation based on previously reported data.
Source: Comscore, Live+7 Average Audience, Program Average, Major League Fishing on WFN vs Bassmasters Elite Series on Pursuit. U.E. based on Dec 2020.
Source: Nielsen, Men 25-54 Live+7 AA (000), MLF: Outdoor Channel, Saturday 2P-4P; Bassmasters L, ESPN 2, Full year 2020; U.E. based on Dec 2020.
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