In October, Major League Fishing unveiled a new, long-term strategic plan for the Bass Pro Tour. With an eye on expanding its digital impact and elevating its top anglers, MLF announced that its premier tournament circuit would return to the every-fish-counts scoring format in 2024 and trim its roster from 80 competitors to 50 following the season.
While a 50-angler field and every-fish-counts scoring remain the future for the BPT, the path to get there will look a bit different.
The Bass Pro Tour roster reduction will now take place across two seasons. After 80 anglers comprise the field in 2024, 65 will compete in 2025. Then, in 2026, the field will be reduced to 50. Anglers will also compete for larger paydays: Starting in 2025, the first-place prize for all seven regular-season BPT events will increase to $150,000.
The field size change was made in response to feedback from the Major League Fishing Angler Association. The independent association, which has represented anglers since the inception of the Bass Pro Tour, approved the measure with a supermajority.
“The Angler Association came to me and asked if we could have a softer cut process,” said MLF President and CEO Boyd Duckett. “We are an angler-driven league, and so out of respect for our anglers’ desires, we will have a two-year cut process and will go 80, 65, 50.”
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