Energizer adds professional angling team to sponsorship program

MINNEAPOLIS – Energizer, on behalf of its battery and lighting-product brands, recently announced the members of its professional angling team that will hit the waters at FLW Outdoors tournaments in 2004. Team members include pros Wesley Burnett of Hot Springs, Ark., and J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md., as well as co-angler Matt Scheipeter of St. Louis.

Energizer began its partnership with FLW Outdoors during the 2000 tournament season and has since reaped the benefits of sponsoring professional fishing, a sport that draws more than 52 million Americans to the water each year. To enhance its sponsorship program, Energizer’s team members will compete in various FLW Outdoors tournament trails from Energizer-branded Ranger boats.

Kenney, who competed in his second year of Wal-Mart FLW Tour competition in 2003, will vie for a spot in the 2004 FLW Tour Championship, an appearance that would mark his first in the most lucrative bass-fishing championship in the world. His career in FLW Outdoors circuits – including the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, the EverStart Series and the FLW Tour – includes nine top-10 finishes and combined winnings of more than $150,000. In 2002, Kenney won his first FLW Tour event on Lake Okeechobee, netting him a cool $110,000 cash. For the 2004 season, Kenney will compete in an Energizer-branded Ranger boat in the FLW Tour, the EverStart Series and the BFL.

“It is wonderful that FLW Outdoors has been able to get nationally recognizable sponsors such as Energizer Batteries and Energizer Lighting Products on board to sponsor professional fishing,” Kenney said. “Their contributions to the sport allow anglers to make fishing a career. I am really looking forward to being a part of Team Energizer; it will allow me to fish how I want and not have to constantly worry about winning a check to be able to fish the next tournament. I am really excited for next season, and I am grateful to both FLW Outdoors and Energizer for giving me the opportunity.”

Burnett, who also competed in his second season as a pro on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour in 2003, began competing in FLW Outdoors tournaments in 1999 as a co-angler in the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League. In 2000, Burnett began competing in the EverStart Series Central Division, and he won the EverStart Challenge at Cypress Gardens – a victory that landed him nearly $40,000, his biggest payday to date. Burnett qualified for the FLW Tour Championship this year and finished in 21st place. He will compete in 2004 from an Energizer-branded Ranger boat on three tournament trails: the FLW Tour, the EverStart Series and the BFL.

“Having a sponsor really makes me feel like a professional angler,” Burnett said. “Being a part of Team Energizer gives me a sense of accomplishment. I now get to go out and promote a great product and have a lot more interaction with the public. I am very grateful for this opportunity.”

Scheipeter, who competes as a co-angler on the FLW Tour, will be seen on the tournament trail and will have a dominant presence at Family Fun Zone events during the 2004 season.

“I am just so excited to be a part of the FLW Outdoors family and the atmosphere that they provide at the Family Fun Zone,” Scheipeter said. “I am also very grateful to Energizer for giving me this opportunity to represent them both out on the water and at the Family Fun Zone. I have a wife and two sons, and FLW Outdoors really gears the FLW Tour events toward family. I am thrilled to be a part of it on all levels.”

Energizer Holdings Inc. is a world leader in the manufacturing of batteries and flashlights.

For more information about FLW Outdoors tournaments, browse this Web site or call (270) 252-1000. For more information about Energizer flashlights and batteries, visit Energizer.com or call (800) 383-7323.