B.A.S.S. ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM
World's largest fishing organization lays groundwork for future

Montgomery, Ala. -  January 14, 2002  -   B.A.S.S. has announced a reorganization  of the world's largest fishing organization in order to best serve the company, its membership, anglers, sponsors and advertisers.

"The cement is still wet, but the foundation is rock solid," said B.A.S.S. General Manager Kessel. "It's both comforting and gratifying to have key individuals already on board and eager to lead B.A.S.S. and help the entire ESPN Outdoors mission achieve
unprecedented success."

Kessel introduced a senior management team, all of whom are veteran employees of the venerable organization:

Dave Precht, longtime BASSMASTER Magazine Editor, has been promoted to Director of all B.A.S.S. Publications, which also include B.A.S.S. Times, Guns & Gear and FISHING TACKLE RETAILER.

Advertising Executive Hunter Cole is now Director of Sponsorships and Television Sales. Cole joined B.A.S.S. in 1986.

Controller Jeff Long has been promoted to Director of Operations, Finance,
Administration. Long has previously worked for Deloitte and Touche.

Diehl Unger assumes the role of Director, Marketing. Over the last several years, Unger has had held key management positions in marketing, events and television at B.A.S.S.

George McNeilly was named Director, Communications which includes media relations and BASSMASTER.com and new initiatives such as angler relations, digital media and community affairs.

Additionally, McNeilly has been named to oversee communications for ESPN, Inc.'s recently created ESPN Outdoors initiative.

In another significant development, 10-year tournament official Trip Weldon has been promoted to Tournament Director while 18-year tournament director Dewey Kendrick assumes a newly created role of Site Selection Manager.

"The escalating growth in popularity of bass fishing and the expanded media presence resulting from the ESPN Outdoors initiative has made site selection an increasingly difficult task requiring the expertise that Dewey possesses," added Kessel. "I am
equally pleased that a man of Trip's caliber will work hard to maintain the high standards of the world's most prestigious tournament trail."



By sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments worldwide, B.A.S.S. is the world's largest fishing organization with over 600,000 members and over 2,800 local clubs merged into 51 federations in the United States and abroad. Through its award-winning
publications including BASSMASTER Magazine, The BASSMASTERS on ESPN2, conservation efforts, tournaments and the CITGO BASS Masters Classic, B.A.S.S. continues to set the standard for serving the needs of anglers as well as the outdoor recreation industry,
while
protecting our natural resources, as it has since its beginnings in 1968.

For more information contact:
B.A.S.S./ESPN Outdoors Communications
(334) 272-9530