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BASS Announces Shreveport-Bossier City, La., as 2012 Bassmaster Classic Venue

Category: press release

 Feb 18th, 2010 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Feb 18th, 2010 at 12:00 AM

The world’s premiere fishing event will return to “Sportsman’s Paradise” in 2012, BASS announced today. The 42nd Bassmaster Classic will be held Feb. 24-26, 2012, on the Red River out of Shreveport-Bossier City, La., as the Shreveport Regional Sports Authority welcomes the prestigious event for the second time in four years – the fifth Classic to be held in Louisiana.

	Skeet Reese won the 2009 Classic at Shreveport, LA(Photo Courtesy of BASS)

The birthplace of careers for legendary musicians including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., Kitty Wells and Slim Whitman, Shreveport-Bossier City added more legend to its lore with its historic first Bassmaster Classic one year ago: The 2009 Classic was the first Classic in which a woman participated. Kim Bain-Moore qualified via her 2008 Toyota Tundra Women’s Bassmaster Tour Angler of the Year title. She finished 47th among the 51 competitors in the 2009 Classic.

The Shreveport Regional Sports Authority was host to the 2009 Bassmaster Classic, which broke several attendance records for the Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods.

“Shreveport-Bossier City is ecstatic to once again host the fabulous Bassmaster Classic,” said Mary Ann Tice, executive director of the Shreveport Regional Sports Authority. “Our community thoroughly enjoyed and was extremely proud being the host of the 2009 Bassmaster Classic and will once again wrap the arms of our community around the Classic. Our visitors and will again produce a record-breaking Bassmaster Classic!

“The Sports Authority is proud to be a partner with ESPN/BASS and the Classic sponsors, and we obviously love the anglers and welcome them with open arms back to the Mighty Red River and the Crown Jewel of Sportsman’s Paradise, Shreveport-Bossier City.”

Said Tom Ricks, vice president & general manager, BASS: “BASS is excited about returning in 2012 to Louisiana and Shreveport-Bossier City for the Bassmaster Classic, the world’s most prestigious fishing event. We’re pleased to partner again with the Shreveport Regional Sports Authority in bringing fans worldwide another blockbuster Bassmaster Classic.”

As always, ESPN2 will have Classic programming across several multimedia platforms throughout the event, and fans can follow the competition by tuning in, attending the daily launches and weigh-ins or logging on to Bassmaster.com, which will provide extensive hourly coverage.

“What a great opportunity for our state, our Federation Nation organization – and what could be a better compliment for our fisheries?” said Kevin Gaubert, president, Louisiana BASS Federation Nation. “We are pleased to be the host site once again for the world’s greatest fishing event.

“Louisiana has everything to offer to make this a spectacular event. I may be a little bias, but nothing can beat our food, our history, our hospitality and our fishing. I would like to invite everyone to come down, so mark your calendars and plan on attending the most exciting fishing events ever.”

Launches on the Red River through the three days of competition in 2012 will be from Red River South Marina in Bossier City, La. The Shreveport Regional Sports Authority will roll out the red carpet for Classic weigh-ins at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City. The 2012 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo will be at the Shreveport Convention Center.

Those interested in volunteering at the 2012 Bassmaster Classic in Shreveport-Bossier City should call BASS at 1-877-BASS-USA.

Local sponsors of the 2012 Bassmaster Classic: The City of Shreveport; Bossier City; Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau; Caddo Parish; Bossier Parish; the State of Louisiana; the Shreveport Regional Sports Authority.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing.  The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.