Latest news with #MajorLeagueFishing
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Family of man killed in Smith Lake boating incident files lawsuit against MLF, angler and boat guide
CULLMAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — The family of one of the men killed in a deadly Smith Lake boating incident in April is suing the bass boat driver, Major League Fishing and the driver of the striper service boat. On Friday, the family of Joey Broom filed a lawsuit against Major League Fishing, LLC, Flint Davis and Gary Holcombe. Davis is the angler whose boat was involved in the deadly boating incident and Holcombe was operating the Smith Lake Striper Guide Service boat that was also involved. The lawsuit additionally names 13 'fictitious defendants.' On April 16, Broom was one of three killed in a deadly boating incident on Smith Lake during a Major League Fishing tournament. WHNT's sister station WIAT, said officials with Cullman County EMA said the crash happened around 7:07 a.m. in the area of Burr's Island outside of Miller Bottom and involved multiple boats. Major League Fishing confirmed that a 'serious boating accident' happened on the lake during the second day of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational. The incident involved one of the competing anglers, Davis of Leesburg, Georgia. ALEA said Davis was the operator of the Nitro Bass Boat that hit the Center Console boat, driven by Holcombe. As a result, 44-year-old John K. Clark, of Cullman, and 62-year-old Jeffrey C. Little, of Brandon, Mississippi, were thrown overboard from the Center Console and drowned. Their bodies were recovered near the Miller Flats area of Smith Lake. Luke H. Morgan & Holcombe were injured in the incident and were both taken to UAB Hospital for treatment. ALEA said the two-boat crash also killed 58-year-old Broom, saying he was hit by the bass boat itself and was pronounced dead on the scene. Davis was the only one onboard the Nitro Bass Boat during the crash, while Holcombe, Morgan, Broom, Clark and Little were all on the Center Console. In the lawsuit, the family of Broom says MLF had a duty to exercise reasonable care in the operation and management of its tournament to prevent harm to third parties, including nonparticipating fishermen on Lewis Smith Lake. Because of this competition that operated in the foggy conditions on April 16, the lawsuit says MLF created a 'foreseeable risk of serious injury or death.' It also says the company failed to implement basic safety measures, including speed limits, launch delays or traffic separation protocols. The lawsuit lists 7 counts against the defendants: Count 1- Negligence and Wanton (deliberate and unprovoked) Conduct against Flint Davis Count 2- Negligent Event Management against MLF Count 3- Vicarious Liability against MLF Count 4- Joint Venture against MLF Count 5- Negligent Hiring, Training and Supervision against MLF Count 6- Negligence and Wanton (deliberate and unprovoked) Misconduct against Gary Holcombe Count 7- Wrongful Death against all defendants This charge comes from the family against Davis, saying he breached his duty to operate his boat in a 'safe and prudent manner' while on Smith Lake. As a direct result of this alleged negligence, Broom was killed. It also says Davis acted with 'conscious disregard for the safety of others and in a manner that was wanton under Alabama Law. This charge is against the MLF, saying the organization had a duty to manage the tournament in a manner that ensured the safety of not only participants but also the public that was also present on the lake that day. 'MLF breached that duty by, inter alia, failing to provide clear directional zones, vessel spacing requirements, safety warnings, and by not implementing appropriate launch sequencing or enforcing speed regulations near other boaters,' the lawsuit says. Due to MLF's 'breach of duty,' the lawsuit says this resulted in the collision that then killed Broom. This count says that MLF is 'vicariously liable' for the negligent and wanton acts committed by Davis during the tournament, as he acted within his field of participation in the MLF tournament. Count 4 also comes against MLF, saying that MLF and Davis were engaged in a joint venture to carry out a 'common commercial purpose: Participation in and promotion of the MLF tournament for shared financial benefit.' The document says MLF had a level of control over Davis's actions and derived benefit from his participation, satisfying the elements of joint venture. The lawsuit says Davis's actions occurred within the scope of this joint venture, and MLF is therefore jointly and severally liable for the damages arising from those actions Against MLF, this count says the organization failed to adequately screen Davis' 'boating competency, experience, or disciplinary history, and by failing to train or instruct him on safety protocols and tournament navigation procedures.' It also claims MLF failed to supervise Davis during the course of the tournament to prevent harm to others, resulting in the death of Broom. This count goes against Holcombe, the driver of the Center Console boat. The lawsuit says Holcombe had a duty to operate the boat with reasonable care that did not 'endanger others.' The lawsuit says Holcombe 'breached his duty by operating or allowing the operation of a vessel in a negligent and/or wanton manner, including but not limited to, unsafe speeds, failure to maintain proper lookout, or creating navigational hazards that contributed to the fatal collision, and the negligence and/or wanton misconduct combined and concurred with the negligence and/or wanton misconduct of other defendants to cause the death.' The document says that for this, Holcombe's actions demonstrated a conscious 'disregard' for the safety of others, including Broom. Against all the defendants, the family of Broom says it 'demands judgment against the Defendants, jointly and severally, including fictitious party Defendants, and requests that the jury selected to hear this case render a verdict for the Plaintiff and against each Defendant in a sum inexcess of the jurisdictional limits of this Court, in an amount which is adequate to reflect the enormity of the Defendants' wrongful acts and which will deter and/or prevent other similar or wrongful acts, together with interest from the date of the incident, attorneys' fees, and the costs of the proceeding.' The lawsuit also names 13 fictitious defendants, which claims that the negligence of all the defendants, combined and concurred, caused Broom's death. Fictitious Defendants No. 1: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities that afforded any insurance coverage to the owner or the driver of the boat(s) or the tournament fishing series involved in this matter. Fictitious Defendants No. 2: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities on whose behalf any of the vehicle(s) involved in the collision made the basis of this lawsuit were being operated at the time of said occurrence. Fictitious Defendants No. 3: Singular or plural, the driver of the boat which struck the Plaintiff's decedent on the occasion made the basis of this suit. Fictitious Defendants No. 4: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities who or which provided maintenance and upkeep on the boat(s) involved in the occurrence, made the basis of this lawsuit. Fictitious Defendants No. 5: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities who or which did any maintenance, upkeep, and/or repair work on the boat(s) involved in the occurrence made the basis of this complaint. Fictitious Defendants No. 6: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities who or which were the master or principal of the driver of the boat(s) involved in the occurrence made the basis of this lawsuit. Fictitious Defendants No. 7: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities for whom the driver of the boat(s) which struck the Plaintiff's decedent was performing some type of service or employment duty at the time of this collision. Fictitious Defendants No. 8: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities who or which negligently entrusted the boat(s) involved in the occurrence, made the basis of this lawsuit to the driver thereof at the time of said occurrence. Fictitious Defendants No. 9: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities who or which issued any policy of insurance which provided coverage for the Plaintiff's decedent on the occasion made the basis of this lawsuit. Fictitious Defendants No. 10: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities, other than those entities described above, whose breach of contract or warranty contributed to causing the occurrence made the basis of this lawsuit. Fictitious Defendants No. 11: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities other than those entities described above, which is the successor in interest of any of those entities described above. Fictitious Defendants No. 12: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities other than those entities described above, which was the predecessor corporation of any of the entities described above. Fictitious Defendants No. 13: Singular or plural, that entity or those entities other than those entities described above, which organized, operated, sanctioned and/or produced the fishing tournament conducted on the day of the decedent's death. You can read the full lawsuit filed below. lawsuit-of-Broom-against-MLF-Davis-HolcombeDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Wire
15-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
MLF Announces New Partnership With Zenni Optical
BENTON, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Major League Fishing (MLF), the world's largest tournament-fishing organization, announced today a new partnership with Zenni Optical, the world's leading online eyewear retailer. As part of the partnership, Zenni now becomes the Official Eyewear of Major League Fishing and title partner of Bass Pro Tour Zenni Stage 6 at the Potomac River, held June 26-29 in Marbury, Maryland. This strategic partnership unites two innovative brands, combining Zenni's industry leadership in accessible, high-quality eyewear with MLF's passionate and growing audience of anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. Together, MLF and Zenni are committed to providing affordable, stylish eyewear for anglers across the globe, while promoting the importance of eye health and protection on and off the water. In a first-of-its-kind collaboration for MLF, Zenni and the league will curate a custom line of eyewear specifically designed for anglers and fans, featuring frames that will be customizable for both prescription and non-prescription lenses, offering innovative technologies including Blokz® blue light-blocking lenses, EyeQLenz™ light-adaptive lenses and polarized sunglasses – an essential tool for serious fishing. MLF fans will also enjoy a special offer for 10% off all purchases using the promo code: MLF. 'Zenni Optical is a proven leader in innovative and affordable eyewear, and we're thrilled to welcome them to the MLF family,' said Jake Wittkop, MLF Vice President and Managing Director of Sponsorship and Business Development. 'Whether you're in need of polarized, prescription lenses for finding bass on beds or blue-light blocking lenses for streaming MLF at home, Zenni offers eyewear for every need. This partnership will not only elevate the visibility of the Zenni brand but also enhance the experience for anglers and fans alike.' Zenni is no stranger to elite partnerships across the sports and entertainment landscape. In addition to MLF, Zenni is the Official Eyewear of Monster Jam, Major League Pickleball, the San Francisco 49ers and the reigning NBA Champion Boston Celtics – further solidifying its place at the intersection of performance, lifestyle and fan engagement. 'We are proud to partner with Major League Fishing, an organization that shares our passion for performance, precision and innovation,' said Robb Chiarini, Head of Partnerships, Licensing, & Events at Zenni Optical. 'We're excited to collaborate with MLF and introduce a line of eyewear and accessories built to meet the unique demands of the fishing lifestyle while providing enthusiasts and fans premium, but affordable, corrective and preventative options.' Zenni will receive integrated branding across MLF's expansive media platforms, including television and livestream broadcasts, on-site event signage, an activation presence and features on MLF's digital and social media platforms. As the Title Sponsor of Bass Pro Tour Stage 6, Zenni will be featured prominently throughout the event, with exclusive coverage on MLFNOW! and in upcoming television broadcasts on Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). For more information about MLF and its sponsors, visit To explore Zenni's complete line of customizable eyewear, visit About Zenni Optical Zenni pioneered the online eyewear industry in 2003 with a mission to make eyewear affordable and accessible to everyone. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Zenni offers adults and children the freedom to express their personality through a large collection of high-quality prescription, non-prescription and protective glasses and sunglasses curated with a sense of fashion and dynamic style. With complete prescription pairs starting at under $10, the company has brought massive price disruption to the traditional retail model. With over 51 million frames sold worldwide, Zenni is proud to be the Official Eyewear of the San Francisco 49ers, Boston Celtics, Monster Jam, Major League Pickleball, Ghost Gaming and more. Zenni has worked with designers and tastemakers on curations and collections, including Chase Stokes, Jrue Holiday, Sam Cassell and George and Claire Kittle. For more information, please visit About Major League Fishing Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world's largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America's living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world's top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Associated Press
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Jake Lawrence Earns First MLF Bass Pro Tour Win at O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 4, 2025-- Thirty hours of competition across four days at the Major League Fishing (MLF) O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries boiled down to the final 20 seconds. Separated on SCORETRACKER® by just 6 ounces, Jake Lawrence and Jacob Wheeler both set the hook. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: Tennessee rookie Jake Lawrence caught 27 bass weighing 83 pounds, 2 ounces, to win the Bass Pro Tour O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries at Nickajack Lake and earn the top prize of $150,000. Wheeler and Lawrence had long since distanced themselves from the rest of the field during Sunday's Championship Round on Nickajack Lake. The latter half of the day morphed into a one-on-one prize fight: Wheeler, the winningest Bass Pro Tour angler of all time, who caught all smallmouth in the current beneath Chickamauga Dam, versus Lawrence, a rookie who caught all largemouth roughly 40 miles down the lake. Lawrence had led most of the day, but with 6 minutes left, Wheeler finally passed him. Still, both anglers felt like if they could just muster one more scorable bass, they'd secure the trophy and $150,000 top prize that comes with it. With 45 seconds left before lines out, Lawrence made a bomb cast with his Buckeye Buzzerk buzzbait. About halfway back to the boat – 21 seconds left to be exact – a massive mouth engulfed it. Nine seconds later, Lawrence swung the bass over the gunnel and hung it on the BUBBA scale: a 5-pound, 9-ounce buzzer-beater, easily enough to put him back in the lead. At virtually that exact moment, Wheeler hooked up with another smallmouth, but he couldn't get it in the boat before time expired. It might not have been enough to overcome Lawrence's late lunker anyway. With a total of 83-2 on 27 scorable bass, Lawrence had won his first Bass Pro Tour title in one of, if not the most dramatic finish in the seven-year history of the tour. More than an hour later, he still couldn't come up with a way to describe the ending other than divine intervention. 'The only thing I can say is, man, He wanted me to do it,' Lawrence said. 'Wheeler jumped me there by a couple ounces, and I said out loud, 'Lord, if you want me to do this, you're going to make it happen.' I had 45 seconds left, and I had just gotten my buzzer back to the boat, and I said, alright, you can throw right, which is where I had been catching them, or you can throw somewhere totally new. And I chose to throw somewhere totally new, and it was the deal. Unbelievable.' On his first cast that way, the bass struck so violently, Lawrence initially thought it had missed his bait. He set the hook, flipped it into the boat, grabbed its lower lip and unleashed a guttural scream of celebration. 'She hit it with such force coming at me that it threw a bunch of slack in my line, and I honestly though she missed it,' he said. 'I started to go wind it in fast to make another cast, and when I started winding it down, she was there. I was like, 'oh my goodness. There is no way this is happening.'' Every angler likes to end an outing with a fish. Growing up fishing alongside my dad and brother, we'd always ask for some 'last cast magic' as everyone threw one final time. Of course, the last cast usually doesn't turn out to be the last cast – until you catch one. But with the Bass Pro Tour's live scoreboard, Lawrence almost certainly didn't have time to make another cast and fight a fish before lines out. That 5-9 – the second biggest bass of the day not only for Lawrence but the entire Championship Round field – delivered the ultimate last-cast magic. 'That's God's work right there,' Lawrence said in the seconds after his win became official. 'That's the way to end one.' The top 10 pros at the O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries on Nickajack Lake finished: 1st: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 27 bass, 83-2, $150,000 2nd: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 27 bass, 77-15, $45,000 3rd: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 17 bass, 48-14, $35,000 4th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 15 bass, 42-7, $30,000 5th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 15 bass, 37-14, $25,000 6th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 12 bass, 37-4, $23,000 7th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 12 bass, 29-9, $22,000 8th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 11 bass, 25-9, $21,000 9th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., seven bass, 21-12, $20,500 10th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., six bass, 15-8, $20,000 A complete list of results can be found at Lawrence won the Berkley Big Bass Award on Sunday with his giant 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that he caught in the first period. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries was hosted by Visit Chattanooga and Fish Tennessee and showcased 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $650,000, including a top payout of $150,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2026, the Bass Pro Tour championship. Television coverage of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 at Lake Chickamauga and Nickajack Lake Presented by OPTIMA Batteries will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 11 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering on Saturday, Oct. 18. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel. Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sport Apparel, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine and Toyota. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF's social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. About Major League Fishing Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world's largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America's living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world's top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care. View source version on CONTACT: MEDIA CONTACT: CHARITY MUEHLENWEG SENIOR MANAGER, PR & COMMUNICATIONS p: 405.694.1025 e:[email protected] KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA TENNESSEE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FISHING SPORTS EXTREME SPORTS OTHER SPORTS GENERAL SPORTS SOURCE: Major League Fishing Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/04/2025 10:45 PM/DISC: 05/04/2025 10:44 PM
Business Wire
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Business Wire
Jake Lawrence Earns First MLF Bass Pro Tour Win at O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Thirty hours of competition across four days at the Major League Fishing (MLF) O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries boiled down to the final 20 seconds. Separated on SCORETRACKER® by just 6 ounces, Jake Lawrence and Jacob Wheeler both set the hook. Wheeler and Lawrence had long since distanced themselves from the rest of the field during Sunday's Championship Round on Nickajack Lake. The latter half of the day morphed into a one-on-one prize fight: Wheeler, the winningest Bass Pro Tour angler of all time, who caught all smallmouth in the current beneath Chickamauga Dam, versus Lawrence, a rookie who caught all largemouth roughly 40 miles down the lake. Lawrence had led most of the day, but with 6 minutes left, Wheeler finally passed him. Still, both anglers felt like if they could just muster one more scorable bass, they'd secure the trophy and $150,000 top prize that comes with it. With 45 seconds left before lines out, Lawrence made a bomb cast with his Buckeye Buzzerk buzzbait. About halfway back to the boat – 21 seconds left to be exact – a massive mouth engulfed it. Nine seconds later, Lawrence swung the bass over the gunnel and hung it on the BUBBA scale: a 5-pound, 9-ounce buzzer-beater, easily enough to put him back in the lead. At virtually that exact moment, Wheeler hooked up with another smallmouth, but he couldn't get it in the boat before time expired. It might not have been enough to overcome Lawrence's late lunker anyway. With a total of 83-2 on 27 scorable bass, Lawrence had won his first Bass Pro Tour title in one of, if not the most dramatic finish in the seven-year history of the tour. More than an hour later, he still couldn't come up with a way to describe the ending other than divine intervention. 'The only thing I can say is, man, He wanted me to do it,' Lawrence said. 'Wheeler jumped me there by a couple ounces, and I said out loud, 'Lord, if you want me to do this, you're going to make it happen.' I had 45 seconds left, and I had just gotten my buzzer back to the boat, and I said, alright, you can throw right, which is where I had been catching them, or you can throw somewhere totally new. And I chose to throw somewhere totally new, and it was the deal. Unbelievable.' L ink to Photo Gallery: Fast track to Nickajack finale for Stage 4 Championship Round Link to Photo Gallery: Lawrence scores his first Bass Pro Tour win Link to HD Video of Highlights from Day 4 Championship Round Competition On his first cast that way, the bass struck so violently, Lawrence initially thought it had missed his bait. He set the hook, flipped it into the boat, grabbed its lower lip and unleashed a guttural scream of celebration. 'She hit it with such force coming at me that it threw a bunch of slack in my line, and I honestly though she missed it,' he said. 'I started to go wind it in fast to make another cast, and when I started winding it down, she was there. I was like, 'oh my goodness. There is no way this is happening.'' Every angler likes to end an outing with a fish. Growing up fishing alongside my dad and brother, we'd always ask for some 'last cast magic' as everyone threw one final time. Of course, the last cast usually doesn't turn out to be the last cast – until you catch one. But with the Bass Pro Tour's live scoreboard, Lawrence almost certainly didn't have time to make another cast and fight a fish before lines out. That 5-9 – the second biggest bass of the day not only for Lawrence but the entire Championship Round field – delivered the ultimate last-cast magic. 'That's God's work right there,' Lawrence said in the seconds after his win became official. 'That's the way to end one.' The top 10 pros at the O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries on Nickajack Lake finished: 1st: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 27 bass, 83-2, $150,000 2nd: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 27 bass, 77-15, $45,000 3rd: Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio, 17 bass, 48-14, $35,000 4th: Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 15 bass, 42-7, $30,000 5th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 15 bass, 37-14, $25,000 6th: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 12 bass, 37-4, $23,000 7th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 12 bass, 29-9, $22,000 8th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 11 bass, 25-9, $21,000 9th: Justin Cooper, Zwolle, La., seven bass, 21-12, $20,500 10th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., six bass, 15-8, $20,000 A complete list of results can be found at Lawrence won the Berkley Big Bass Award on Sunday with his giant 8-pound, 3-ounce largemouth that he caught in the first period. Berkley awards $1,000 to the angler who weighs the heaviest bass each day. The O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 Presented by OPTIMA Batteries was hosted by Visit Chattanooga and Fish Tennessee and showcased 66 of the top professional anglers in the world, competing for a purse of $650,000, including a top payout of $150,000 and valuable Angler of the Year (AOY) points in hopes of qualifying for the General Tire Heavy Hitters all-star event and REDCREST 2026, the Bass Pro Tour championship. Television coverage of the O'Reilly Auto Parts Stage 4 at Lake Chickamauga and Nickajack Lake Presented by OPTIMA Batteries will premiere as a two-hour episode starting at 7 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 11 on Discovery, with the Championship Round premiering on Saturday, Oct. 18. New MLF episodes premiere each Saturday morning on Discovery, with re-airings on Outdoor Channel. Proud sponsors of the 2025 MLF Bass Pro Tour include: 7Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, Athletic Brewing, Bass Force, B&W Trailer Hitches, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sport Apparel, Fishing Clash, Grizzly, Lowrance, Mercury, MillerTech, Mossy Oak Fishing, NITRO, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Power-Pole, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Star brite, Suzuki Marine and Toyota. For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Bass Pro Tour, visit For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF's social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. About Major League Fishing Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world's largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America's living rooms on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world's top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
Tatler Asia
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
Surprising moneymakers: From polo to pro gaming, the niche sports with the highest-paid athletes
2. Esports Above Esports (Photo: RDNE Stock project via Pexels) Biggest prize money: The International 2019 (Dota 2) hit US$34.3 million total purse; winners bagged over US$15 million Why it pays: Streaming deals, brand sponsorships, and ownership stakes can eclipse even massive prize checks Esports has evolved into a billion-dollar industry—and one of the most lucrative for top players. Tournaments like The International and League of Legends Worlds offer staggering payouts, but real wealth comes from Twitch streams, YouTube content, and brand endorsements. Stars like Faker and N0tail have built empires, proving gaming is serious business. 3. Sailing (America's Cup) Above Sailing (Photo: Mike Knibbs via Pexels) Biggest prize money: Around US$1 million championship purse in SailGP, a spin-off from America's Cup Why it pays: Salaried contracts, luxury sponsorships, and billionaire-backed teams At the elite level, sailing is less about prize purses and more about patronage. Champions like Jimmy Spithill are backed by syndicates funded by billionaires and global brands. While SailGP sweetens the deal with actual prize money, the America's Cup remains a career-defining event, opening doors to long-term endorsements and prestige. 4. Professional bass fishing Above Bass fishing (Photo: cottonbro studio via Pexels) Biggest prize money: The Major League Fishing's Redcrest Championship offers US$300,000 for the winner Why it pays: Gear sponsorships, branded merchandise, personal licensing deals In the US, bass fishing is big business. Icons like Kevin VanDam earn more from sponsorships—boats, bait, branded gear—than tournament wins. Many launch their own product lines and outdoor TV shows, combining niche fame with national influence. Think Nascar, but on the water. 5. Show jumping Above Show jumping (Photo: Kelian Pfleger via Pexels) Biggest prize money: Grand Prix events award up to €300,000 (US$320,000) Why it pays: Horse ownership, sponsorships, and the elite equestrian circuit Show jumping rewards both athleticism and animal investment. Top riders like Scott Brash don't just win events—they breed and sell champion horses for millions. With brands like Rolex, Longines and Land Rover in the mix, the sport maintains its gilded image, blending business and equestrian elegance. 6. Snooker Above Snooker (Photo: Tomaz Barcellos via Pexels) Biggest prize money: World Snooker Championship: £500,000 (US $630,000) to the winner. Why it pays: Endorsements, exhibition matches, media appearances. Massive in the UK and China, snooker's top players—Ronnie O'Sullivan among them—enjoy strong fan bases and steady income beyond tournaments. High appearance fees and celebrity TV spots sustain their earning power, turning quiet concentration into commercial success. 7. Table tennis Above Table tennis (Photo: Jenny K via Pexels) Biggest prize money: ITTF World Cup: around US$150,000 for the winner. Why it pays: Corporate sponsorships, government rewards, luxury endorsements. In China, table tennis players are national celebrities. Stars like Ma Long attract state-backed bonuses, luxury endorsements and even lifetime pensions. While global prize pools are modest, they often pale in comparison to national hero treatment and long-term benefits. Also read: Roger Federer ranked by Forbes as World's Highest Paid Athlete of 2020 8. Surfing Above Surfing (Photo: Pixabay via Pexels) Biggest prize money: The World Surf League Championship Tour awards US$100,000 to US$150,000 per win Why it pays: Endorsements from global brands and personal surfwear lines Championships matter, but brand image is everything in surfing. Athletes like Gabriel Medina and Carissa Moore leverage their appeal for endorsement deals with brands like Rip Curl and Jeep. Their sun-soaked, aspirational lifestyles are bankable across both sport and social media. 9. MotoGP Above MotoGP (Photo: Pixabay via Pexels) Biggest prize money: Relatively small per race; top salaries reach US$14 million/year Why it pays: Salary contracts, endorsements, performance bonuses Unlike Formula 1, MotoGP riders earn most through their contracts. Marc Márquez, for example, has one of the highest-paying deals in motorsport. Add to that endorsements from energy drinks, apparel and tech brands and the financial speedometer keeps climbing.
