FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

BENTON , Ky. -  The Professional Anglers Association (PAA) Board of Directors held a meeting on September 29, 2005 to discuss the updated angler agreement BASS sent out to the potential competitors in the 2006 Elite Series.

 

"We (The PAA Board) reached out and communicated with the vast majority of our membership to discuss the agreement. Upon review of the responses, the members and the PAA Board are opposed to the entire package as it is currently written," said PAA Executive Director Gene Ellison. "Since the new regulations and stipulations imposed would cause anglers to violate existing sponsor agreements, our anglers' sponsor contracts legally prevent them from signing the BASS contracts."

 

Over 85 percent of the membership responded to an internal survey regarding the revised BASS package and they are unanimously opposed to the agreement. "This association has never been so unified in its opinion and stance," added Ellison.

 

BASS has imposed a November 1, 2005 deadline for the anglers to make.

 

"The PAA board feels it would be appropriate for BASS to reconsider the November 1 deadline for the entry fee deposits and signed registration agreements. The PAA Board would like BASS to extend the deadline and consider discarding the current agreement and rewriting the entire package to be mutually beneficial to the anglers, their sponsors and BASS."