WORLD BASS ENTERPRISES UNVEILS "THE CHAMPIONS" TOURNAMENT FEATURING TOP 50 ANGLERS AND RECORD-SETTING $3 MILLION PURSE
Five-Day Event in Nashville to Crown First-Ever World Bass Fishing Champion and Award Record $1.25 Million to Winner
Ancillary Events to Include Headline Musical Performance, Pro-Am Competition, Opening Ceremonies, Media Day, and Outdoor Sports Expo
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- World Bass Enterprises (WBE) announced today that it will bring the top 50 anglers in the world to Nashville in October for "The Champions" tournament, which will serve as the first-ever world bass fishing championship and will feature the largest purse in the sport's history.
The five-day event, with three days of competition, will be held on Old Hickory Lake at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville, Tenn., from Oct. 28 – Nov. 1 and will include a record-setting purse of more than $3 million, including a $1.25 million payout to the winning angler - the biggest monetary prize ever awarded to a winner of a bass fishing tournament. Additionally, the second and third place finishers will receive $500,000 and $300,000 payouts, respectively.
"The Champions" tournament field will be comprised of the top 25 anglers from both The Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour. The tournament will crown a true world champion and award The Champion's Cup following the first-ever head-to-head competition between the two biggest bass fishing organizations on the planet.
The family-friendly event at Old Hickory Lake, hosted within Sanders Ferry Park, will feature a fireworks show, a flyover, interactive games, fishing activities for all ages, food and beverage vendors, and multiple musical acts including a to-be-named Friday night headline musical act.
Separately, World Bass Enterprises will hold a pro-am competition on Sunday, Nov. 1 at Percy Priest Lake which will feature the top 15 anglers from "The Champions" tournament fishing alongside legendary anglers, celebrities and more.
Nearby, The Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville will host a number of ancillary event activations including the tournament's media day and opening ceremonies, as well as the Official Expo of The Champions, featuring 70,000 square feet of expo booths from top brands across fishing, hunting, and outdoor sports.
"As a longtime bass fishing enthusiast, I have always marveled at the incredible skill of the world's top anglers and believed they deserved a marquee platform to showcase their talents to the world," said World Bass Enterprises Founder and CEO Brian Bird. "And there is no better way to crown a true world champion than by bringing the two biggest tours together to fish on the same lake. We're thrilled to introduce this world class event that will unify the sport, establish an annual tradition, and increase exposure to pro fishing by welcoming in new audiences."
"There has always been friendly competition and banter between the anglers on each tour, but no way to actually settle the score on the water," said four-time Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year Jacob Wheeler. "The opportunity to crown a true world champion across the entire sport is something our anglers have wanted for a very long time, and we're thrilled to finally have that chance this October in Nashville. The fact that there is more than $3 million in total prize money is remarkable and a true testament to the elite nature of this competition."
"The entire bass fishing community is energized to see who is the best of the best, and have the opportunity to chase a $1.25 million grand prize," said two-time Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year Brandon Palaniuk. "And while we will be competing individually for the purse, I know the rest of the anglers on The Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series will be fired up to try to bring home the first-ever Champions Cup to our tour."
Excel Sports Management is serving as Executive Producer of "The Champions" tournament providing strategy, commercial sales, and production support.
Additional details on "The Champions" tournament including qualifying anglers, ticket sales, broadcast information, and more, will be announced at a later date.
For more information on "The Champions" tournament fans can visit worldbassenterprises.com.
ABOUT WORLD BASS ENTERPRISES:
Established in 2026, World Bass Enterprises serves as the founder and host organization for "The Champions" tournament, the annual world bass fishing championship where the top 50 anglers in the world across The Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour compete for record-setting prize pools and The Champion's Cup.
For more information visit worldbassenterprises.com.
MEDIA CONTACT
FINN Partners
[email protected]
SOURCE World Bass Enterprises
Share this article