NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

June 23, 1998

CONTACT: Henry Cabbage (850) 488-4676

FWC TEAMS UP WITH FOX NETWORK AND STARK GROUP

Partners still have lots of details to work out, including the exact amount of the purse, but the four-part tournament is going to happen, and as part of the deal, four hour-long specials about Florida's fish and wildlife will be produced for Fox Network.

"The Stark Group is a limited liability partnership that organized a highly successful similar project in Texas," said Ross Morrell, head of the FWC's Office of Informational Services. "The Texas project included the biggest amateur bass fishing tournament ever held, but we expect to top it here in Florida in 1999." (See here for info on the latest Lake Conroe Tournament, and more about the overall concept of this exciting tournament series).

In Florida, the project will include three preliminary fishing tournaments in different parts of the state during January, February and March. Winners will take part in the championship in April.

"Particularly in the January and February tournaments, we expect the prospect of taking part in a high-purse fishing tournament in Florida will attract amateur anglers from all over the country -- especially from everywhere it's cold that time of year, Morrell said.

The Stark Group approached the FWC earlier this year with a proposal to team up for the project and to bring in Fox Network as a fourth partner. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Wildlife Foundation of Florida to support FWC's special projects and activities.

Part of Fox Network's participation will be to spotlight some aspects of Florida's fishing, hunting and wildife viewing opportunities. The Stark Group will plan and execute the tournaments and the FWC will provide technical assistance for the project, tentatively titled "The Florida Fish and Wildlife Adventure Series."

"Florida will receive enormous economic benefits from the network exposure and expecially from the thousands of anglers who will flock here to take part in the fishing tournaments," Morrell said. "And the proceeds the tournaments will generate for our foundation will help boost the well-being of Florida's fish and wildlife. We plan to carry out this project for at least three years."

Fishing is big business in Florida. In fact this state leads the nation in the number of anglers -- 2.8 million of them, including 1.1 million who fish in fresh water.

"That translates into $6 billion a year that fishing pours into the state's economy," Morrell said. "Fishing supports 82,000 jobs here."

One unique feature of the fishing tournament component is that organizers will award prizes for such things as the first angler to report to the weigh-in station with a fish that weighs a certain weight. "There will be all kinds of ways to win great prizes," Morrell said.

Randy Stark of the Stark Group said he and his staff are brimming with excitement about the Florida project. "We're looking forward to coming down there and working with the FWC and its foundation and putting on the richest amateur bass fishing tournament the world has ever seen," he said, "and we'll be honored to be a part of the funding process that cares for Florida's fish and wildlife."

Fox Sports Network Vice President Jon Heidtke, said the network is confident the project will be a great success.

"With the success the Outdoor Adventure Series has experienced in Texas, we are extremely excited about expanding the format in Florida," he said. "We look forward to working with the FWC to promote outdoor activities. "We feel confident these bass tournaments will be just as successful in Florida as they are in Texas."