Entry 195-4
University of Alabama Bass-Fishing Team Wins National Championship
Part 4: Why Companies Support Collegians
Editor’s Note: The University of Alabama Crimson Tide Bass Anglers (CTBA) have become the National Collegiate Bass Fishing Champions. If you’ve never heard of CTBA or the National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship (NCBFC), now you know that the Crimson Tide bassers, sponsored by Strike King Lures, have won a national championship. This up-and-coming college sport, which has gained national recognition and lots of interest from outdoorsmen, will be televised on Fox College Sports.
When we asked Chris Brown, marketing director for Strike King Lures, why his company sponsored the CTBA, he explained that, "At Strike King, we believe in the youth of America. We sponsor the Crimson Tide Bass Anglers team and the newly-formed Auburn University bass team. Supporting college bass fishing is good for our company, the young people we sponsor and the sport of bass fishing.
"The future of collegiate bass fishing is really growing, and it will add a whole new dimension to the sport of bass fishing. In 3 years, we’ve seen this program grow from six colleges and universities to over 50 participating. We’re even seeing high schools beginning to form bass-fishing teams. One day, we’ll see bass-fishing scholarships for both high school and college athletes. As the sport grows, Strike King will become more involved in the future of collegiate fishing, as I’m sure other companies in the fishing-tackle industry will."
The CTBA gained sponsorship from the Strike King Lure Company in August, 2006, when Mark Menendez, a pro on the Strike King Lure team, introduced Hank Weldon and Chris Brown. "After we talked, Chris Brown helped us acquire the additional sponsorship we needed to develop our team," Weldon says.
