Major League Fishing Championship to Air on CBS Sports

TULSA, OKLA. – May 7, 2015 – Jack Link’s Major League Fishing on Saturday, May 9, will make its fifth appearance on a major television network when the Championship Round of the Shell Rotella Challenge Cup airs at 3 p.m. ET on CBS Sports. The hour-long episode was filmed in and around Shreveport, Louisiana.

“We’re extremely pleased to again have the opportunity to showcase Major League Fishing on a traditional major network. With every new show we seem to be attracting more viewers, as well as viewers that don’t fall into the ‘fishing fan’ category,” said Major League Fishing General Manager Jim Wilburn.

“Attracting a broader audience has been one of Major League Fishing’s goals all along. Appearing on the CBS Sports helps us achieve that goal.”

Major League Fishing had tremendous success on a recent CBS Sports airing. In February, Major League Fishing’s telecast of the General Tire Summit Cup championship from Waterville, Maine, attracted more than 1.1 million viewers, according to Nielsen, a ratings measurement system that ranks it as one of the top-performing fishing shows in television history.

Major League Fishing is an enterprise developed through a joint effort between Outdoor Channel and two dozen of the world’s best-known bass fishing anglers. Major League Fishing takes viewers inside the boats of the competitors as they battle each other during a six-day event set in various locations across the country. The anglers utilize a demanding format that allows them to weigh all the “scorable bass” they catch. Unlike other competitive fishing events, leaderboards in the boats allow anglers to know their standings at all times.

Produced by Winnercomm Inc. – an award-winning independent sports production company and division of Outdoor Channel, which is part of Outdoor Sportsman Group – Major League Fishing features such renowned anglers as Kevin VanDam, Skeet Reese, Mike Iaconelli and Gary Klein.

“This is the second time this year that Major League Fishing has aired on CBS Sports and we are pleased to be able to further demonstrate the broad appeal of riveting competition found in this unique bass fishing tournament,” said Jim Liberatore, President and CEO, Outdoor Sportsman Group Networks division. “We look forward to continuing to develop innovative programming, such as Jack Link’s Major League Fishing, to entertain the more than 130 million-plus active outdoor adventure participants and armchair observers in the U.S.”

Whereas the CBS Sports finale is a one-hour show, viewers can tune into Outdoor Channel on Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET, Sundays at 4 p.m. ET and Thursdays at 10 a.m. ET to see two-hour episodes of the competition that takes place in the Shreveport region on Jack Link’s Major League Fishing. Outdoor Channel airs each competition in its entirety, including the championship rounds and a tips and techniques episode featuring the finalists. Moreover, Major League Fishing GEICO Selects, the new hour-long series launched this year on Outdoor Channel, features 24 new anglers competing for one of six spots in a corresponding MLF Cup event. The show can be seen Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET, Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET, and Sundays at 7 a.m. ET.

About Jack Link’s Major League Fishing

Jack Link’s Major League Fishing is a partnership of 24 of the world’s most talented, influential professional bass anglers and Outdoor Channel. Jack Link’s is the organization’s title sponsor. For more information about the new game, with new rules and no limits, visit www.majorleaguefishing.com. Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook.

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About Outdoor Channel

Outdoor Channel has been taking viewers across America and around the world on unparalleled adventures since 1993. Dedicated to the outdoor lifestyle and conservation, the independent cable network is a division of Outdoor Sportsman Group and provides a complete spectrum of riveting hunting, fishing, shooting and adventure entertainment. Outdoor Channel is received by nearly 40 million U.S. households – the largest outdoor TV footprint in the country – and is available in more than 50 countries internationally. Outdoor Channel can be viewed in HD and is accessible by broadband and mobile platforms. For program times and other information, visit www.outdoorchannel.com. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. #WhatGetsYouOutdoors

About Jack Link’s

JACK LINK’S BEEF JERKY – Feed Your Wild Side™: Headquartered in Minong, Wis., Jack Link’s is the leader in the meat snack category and fastest-growing meat snack manufacturer worldwide. The Jack Link’s brand represents a heritage of quality and consumer trust. Well known for its iconic Messin’ With Sasquatch™ advertising campaign, Jack Link’s offers more than 100 premium meat snack products at retail outlets in more than 40 countries. Check out JackLinks.com for more information on the brand.

About Shell Rotella

The Shell Rotella® brand is committed to making sure that hard working individuals can count on Shell Rotella® engine oils to help keep their trucks and equipment operating properly. The Shell Rotella® Energized Protection™ product portfolio is led by three premium heavy duty engine oils that are part of a tiered, easy to understand ladder of protection. They include Shell Rotella® T6 Full Synthetic, Shell Rotella® T5 Synthetic Blend Technology and Shell Rotella® T Triple Protection® engine oils. For more information about Shell Rotella® heavy duty engine oils visit www.Rotella.com or follow Shell Rotella® on Facebook or Twitter.

Media Contacts:
Major League Fishing - Randy Coleman | (304) 546-1358 | rcoleman31@yahoo.com
Outdoor Channel - Nancy Zakhary | (212) 986-6667 | nancy@braincomm.com