BENTON, Ky. – Major League Fishing has announced the details for the 2024 Team Series, which kicks off August 25-30.
The series is comprised of four events featuring two-man teams of Bass Pro Tour pros competing from the same boat and working together to claim part of a season purse of more than $720,000.
For the first time ever, the series will be livestreamed daily, meaning every cast and every catch will be covered live and fans can watch teammates work together to break down a brand new body of water in real time.
“It will be exciting to watch our Bass Pro Tour anglers strategize and work together to find and catch the winning bass, live on the water,” said Kathy Fennel, MLF Executive Vice President and General Manager. “With the dynamic of two-man teams fishing from the same boat, and livestream coverage of every moment, we’re thrilled to offer fans a never-before-seen front row seat to the action and drama that the (Team Series) creates.”
Fans will have an inside look as teammates like 2022 Team Series champion Jacob Wheeler and two-time REDCREST champion Dustin Connell join forces on Team Kubota to compete against Team Star Tron, comprised of Jacob Wall and 2022 REDCREST champion Bobby Lane, or Team Knighten Industries, made up of Wesley Strader and Scott Suggs – two-thirds of the winning team from the 2023 Team Series.
“This type of team event is the most relatable way to fish,” Wheeler said of the new format. “Team tournaments are literally what got me started in bass fishing, just those weeknight tournaments with your buddies. That’s some of the most fun fishing.
“Out of everyone in the field, I’ve had the most experience fishing with Dustin, so we’re looking forward to working together,” Wheeler continued. “There will definitely be some shenanigans, but it’s going to be a lot of fun and I’m beyond excited.”
A short promotional video that covers the main changes to the 2024 General Tire Team Series can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
Each Team Series event will feature 12 two-man teams, divided into three groups as they enter the one-day Elimination Rounds. The top two teams from each of the three Elimination Rounds will advance to the Knockout Rounds on Days 4 and 5. The top two teams from each Knockout Round will then move on to the Championship Round on Day 6, where the final four teams compete for that Cup Championship.
The first 2024 Team Series draft took place in May, where 24 team captains – based on 2024 Angler of the Year (AOY) standings after the first four Bass Pro Tour events – drafted a teammate. Those 24 teams will compete in the first two events, the Challenge Cup (Aug. 25-30) and the Heritage Cup (Sept. 15-20).
Once the final Bass Pro Tour event has been completed, 24 new team captains will be selected based on AOY rankings from the last four Bass Pro Tour tournaments; those captains will draft a teammate for the final two Team Series events, the Patriot Cup (Oct. 24-29), and the Summit Cup (Nov. 17-22).
The Challenge Cup is the first of the four-event series and will take place Aug. 25-30 in Erie, Pa.
In keeping with traditional MLF Cup protocols, the host city is not revealed to Team Series anglers until one month prior to each event. All fishable waters within 60 miles of that city become off limits to anglers, and the competitors will discover where they’re competing only after arriving at the boat ramp on the morning of competition. Fans watching the MLFNOW! livestream will find out the fishery right along with the anglers and watch all the action unfold live as teams work together and share their knowledge to break down each fishery in real time.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will break down the extended action live all six days of competition at the Challenge Cup from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! will be livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps and on Rumble.
The 12 teams that will compete in the Challenge Cup are:
> Team 7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee:
Adrian Avena, Vineland, N.J.
Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala.
> Team B&W Trailer Hitches:
Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn.
Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark.
> Team Builders FirstSource:
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn.
> Team Coign:
Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill.
Matt Stefan, Junction City, Wis.
> Team Ferguson:
Nick Lebrun, Bossier City, La.
Gerald Spohrer, Gonzales, La.
> Team Knighten Industries:
Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn.
Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark.
> Team Kubota:
Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn.
Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala.
> Team REDCON1:
Cole Floyd, Leesburg, Ohio
Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn.
> Team Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff & Pouches:
Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash.
John Hunter, Shelbyville, Ky.
> Team Star Tron:
Jacob Wall, New Hope, Ala.
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
> Team U.S. Air Force:
Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C.
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
> Team WIX Filters:
Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich.
Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla.
The complete 2024 General Tire Team Series Challenge Cup Bracket can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The Challenge Cup will air on Outdoor Channel as six two-hour original episodes each Saturday afternoon starting Jan. 4, 2025, airing from 2 to 4 p.m. EDT. The complete television schedule for the series will be posted at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
