FLW Outdoors to be featured in Sports Museum of America

Multimedia museum opens May 7

Flanked by the namesake of the historic event, pro winner Scott Suggs holds up the Forrest Wood Cup. Photo by Brett Carlson. Angler: Scott Suggs.

May 1, 2008 • MLF • Archives

MINNEAPOLIS – FLW Outdoors, the leading tournament-fishing organization in the world, is proud to announce it will have a presence at the all-new Sports Museum of America. The Sports Museum of America (SmA) is the nation’s first and only interactive, multimedia all-sports museum experience and will open to the public May 7 in the heart of Lower Manhattan.

As the first museum to pay tribute to the history and excitement of all sports, SmA has partnered with more than 50 single sports halls of fame, national governing bodies and other top athletic organizations to showcase inspiring exhibits, memorabilia, stories and heroes that resonate with fans of all ages. In addition to hosting the first women’s sports hall of fame, SmA will also be the new permanent home of the Billie Jean King International Women’s Sports Center as well as the legendary Heisman Trophy.

In the competitive-fishing section of the museum, FLW Outdoors and the Wal-Mart FLW Tour will be prominently featured. In particular, a replica of the 2007 Forrest Wood Cup will be on display as well as Folgers pro Scott Suggs’ jersey. At that event, held on Lake Ouachita Aug. 2-5 in Hot Springs, Ark., Suggs became bass fishing’s first $1 million winner. In addition to the Cup and jersey, Suggs’ winning bait, a 10-inch Berkley Power Worm, will be available for public viewing. In 2004, Chevy pro Luke Clausen won $500,000 at the Forrest Wood Cup on Logan Martin Lake near Birmingham, Ala. Clausen’s Chevy jersey and trademark flip-flops will also be highlighted in the FLW Outdoors display.

“We’re thrilled that the Sports Museum of America has recognized FLW Outdoors and the Wal-Mart FLW Tour in particular, as a leading athletic organization,” said Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors. “Last summer we made history by awarding bass fishing’s first $1 million first-place prize to Scott Suggs. That memory will now live forever and be viewed by millions in New York City.”

Located at 26 Broadway at the corner of Broadway and Beaver streets, SmA will be steps away from the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferries, Wall Street, South Street Seaport and the 9/11 memorial currently under way.

FLW Outdoors, named after Forrest L. Wood, the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, is the largest fishing tournament organization in the world. In 2008 alone the organization is offering more than 90,000 anglers the chance to win over $40 million through 230 tournaments in 10 circuits targeting bass, walleye, redfish, kingfish and striped bass. FLW Outdoors is also taking fishing mainstream with the largest cash awards in the history of fantasy sports, $7.3 million.

For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, browse FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about FLW Fantasy Fishing and Player’s Advantage, visit FantasyFishing.com.