FLW Tournaments & NRA Annual Meeting 2020 Among Events Impacted by COVID-19
OutdoorHub Editor: Keenan Crow 03.16.20
Amidst public gatherings, and all the major sporting events either being cancelled or suspended, here’s a round up of how the coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted recent events pertaining to the hunting/fishing industry during these tumultuous times:
Major League Fishing
MLF and FLW announced the suspension of all public gatherings associated with their events through April 12, 2020. This includes all fan meet-n-greets associated with the Bass Pro Tour, and the attendance of fans and non-essential staff at all FLW tournaments, including weigh-ins. The silver lining, though, due to the nature of competitive bass fishing, the league will continue to host tournaments for participating anglers.
Here’s what MLF President and CEO, Jim Wilburn, said in a press release:
“We’re taking these proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of our anglers, volunteers, fans, and staff.“ “As a unique outdoor sport where competitors have limited interaction, we feel that we can continue to host tournaments under an abundance of caution. Should circumstances change around a particular event, we will alert those competitors and volunteers directly involved with as much notice as possible.“
2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series
As colleges and universities across the U.S. are closing campuses and limiting fan attendance to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus, B.A.S.S. officials announced they will postpone the 2020 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series at Lake Hartwell presented by Bass Pro Shops scheduled for March 26-28.
B.A.S.S. is monitoring the situation with local officials, and following precautions and advice outlined by the CDC and World Health Organization. One of those precautions is avoiding large indoor crowds, like what teams would encounter at registration and angler briefings.
B.A.S.S. is currently working with the tournament local hosts at Visit Anderson on a new date to ensure all registered teams have the opportunity to compete.
NRA Annual Meeting
The National Rifle Association confirmed last week the cancellation of its 149th annual meeting due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The meeting was set for April 16th-19th in Nashville, Tennessee. However, after much consideration amid the coronavirus pandemic, it will (hopefully) be rescheduled. We have not heard any word on possible date changes, but will keep you updated when more information is released.
Important Update: @NRA Annual Meeting pic.twitter.com/3NeDOELRrk
— NRA (@NRA) March 12, 2020
As of today, there’s been no official announcement about the upcoming ICAST event, but I reached out to officials and will update this article when I receive word back.
The event is scheduled for Tuesay, Jul 14, 2020 – Friday, Jul 17, so in all the likelihood the event will not be impacted at all. Stay tuned for more updates.
