Press Releases
ALEXANDRIA, VA (February 25, 2009) – Bass Pro Shops will kick off a national Anglers’ Legacy Pledge drive to coincide with their 2009 Spring Fishing Classic event, held Feb. 27 - March 15, 2009. The promotion will feature Anglers’ Legacy on basspro.com and at 53 of their retail locations, encouraging customers nationwide to take someone new fishing. Bass Pro Shops, who signed on as an Anglers’ Legacy Partner in 2007, is leveraging the Spring Fishing Classic to introduce newcomers to the sport for the second consecutive year.
“The Spring Fishing Classic is a great opportunity to inspire avid boaters and anglers to take newcomers out on the water,” said RBFF President and CEO Frank Peterson. “Becoming an Anglers’ Legacy Ambassador is a commitment to share your love of the sport. Passing on this legacy will help us preserve our natural resources that fishing and boating rely on and generate momentum in critical sales of fishing licenses, fishing tackle and boating supplies.”
In-store displays, public service announcements and tailored messaging in sales tabs will encourage customers and staff to “Take the Pledge” and become Anglers’ Legacy Ambassadors. Those who sign up will receive a trophy fish poster to record details about their prize catch including date, location and weight. Bass Pro Shops hopes to sign up thousands of new Ambassadors to the program.
“Almost eight million people will visit our stores during our Spring Fishing Classic this year so this is an excellent opportunity to introduce our customers to the Anglers’ Legacy program,” said Bass Pro Shops Communications and Outdoor Education Manager Larry Whiteley. “We know that the best way to preserve the sport is to introduce friends and family to the outdoors and Anglers’ Legacy fits right into that message.”
Anglers’ Legacy has collected more than 92,000 Pledges since its inception in May 2006. The program asks avid anglers to visit AnglersLegacy.org and “Take the Pledge" – a promise to take one new person fishing each year. According to a 2008 survey of Ambassadors, most take more than four people a year fishing and also purchase 3.1 fishing licenses.
About Bass Pro Shops
Award-winning for their store concept and design, Bass Pro Shops is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, and currently has a total of 54 locations in 26 states and Canada. Rated high as tourist destination picks, over 100 million people visit the stores annually with several stores being their state's #1 tourist attraction and several others placing among the top five. For more information on Bass Pro Shops stores, products and events, visit their Web site at http://www.basspro.com/.
About RBFF
RBFF is a nonprofit organization established in 1998 to increase participation in recreational angling and boating. RBFF helps people discover, share and protect the legacy of boating and fishing through national outreach programs including the Take Me Fishing™ campaign and Anglers’ Legacy™.
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