GEICO Bassmaster Classic receives nomination for SportsTravel award
Category: press release
Sep 3rd, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Sep 3rd, 2015 at 12:00 AM
The 2015 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro held on Lake Hartwell out of Greenville, S.C., has been nominated by the readers of SportsTravel Magazine, for a 2015 SportsTravel Award.
“It is an honor to be nominated, especially considering the other professional sports events in this category,” said Michael Mulone, B.A.S.S. director of event and tourism partnerships. “However, the Bassmaster Classic is a special event and deserves the recognition. Not only is it the biggest event of the season, but the Classic is also a celebration of the outdoors industry. People schedule their vacations, honeymoons and reunions to attend, and some couples have even been married at the Classic.”
Members of the media also have made the tournament a must-attend event on their annual calendars. More than 300 media representatives applied for credentials to cover the Classic in 2015. In addition, the event generated tens of millions of page views on Bassmaster.com, and it received 12 hours of television coverage on ESPN2 and 12 hours of coverage on ESPN Classic.
Mulone urged fishing fans to cast their votes for the Bassmaster Classic by going to www.sportstravelawards.questionpro.com. Fan voting is open until Sept. 15. The winners of the 2015 SportsTravel Award will be announced at TEAMS ’15 in Las Vegas, Nov. 9-12.
“This recognition in the travel media promotes the sport of bass fishing and builds awareness for this great event,” said Bruce Akin, B.A.S.S. CEO. “It also enables us to take the Classic to the best cities and the best bass fisheries.”
This year, in what is known as the Super Bowl of bass fishing, South Carolina native Casey Ashley took home the Classic title with a three-day total of 50 pounds, 1 ounce. He will defend his title on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, Oklahoma, March 4-6, 2016.
“The GEICO Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell was a standout event on many levels,” Akin said. “The Classic Outdoor Expo presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods solidified its stature as the top consumer fishing show in the country. The partnership of our host communities, Greenville and Anderson, S.C., made for a first-class experience for our anglers, our sponsors and our fans. And despite record cold temperatures, fans came in droves; overall attendance exceeded 100,000 for the three-day event.”