The 2003 season is just around the corner. It kicks off the second week of January down in Florida on the Harris Chain of Lakes. It will be a very important, even pivotal, year in the growth of our sport. This sport is growing very fast and is experiencing some growing pains along the way.

The biggest controversy in the sport today centers around Busch beer's new sponsorship of the BASSMASTER Tour. This marriage of B.A.S.S. and Busch does have potential to help elevate the sport of bass fishing to the next level. However, the design of the current Busch Angler of the Year (AOY) program is flawed.

In an effort to do their best job for Busch, B.A.S.S. feels like it needs to require all competitors to wear a new patch on their left sleeves and put a small decal on their boats that represents the Busch AOY program. In return, B.A.S.S. has introduced a new AOY purse with $100,000 going to the winner, paying down to around $5,000 for the angler who finishes 10th in the AOY race.

This is a mandatory program. If an angler chooses not to wear the patch and not to put the decal on his boat, he can still fish, but he cannot earn points. This effectively ends a pro's B.A.S.S. career, because it keeps him from qualifying for the CITGO BASSMASTERS Classic and requalifying for the Tour in 2004. Additionally, Busch wants to use the 2003 AOY in a marketing campaign which is to include print and TV ads, and point-of-purchase displays wherever Busch beer is sold.

B.A.S.S. has really rolled the dice with this new mandatory program, due to the fact that they are attempting to force anglers to promote a specific product against their will. A number of fishermen take issue with promoting an alcoholic drink, myself included. Wearing a patch that represents the Busch AOY program is one thing, but appearing in a Busch commercial or on a poster next to the Busch product in a liquor store is quite another. I will promote the Tour, but I will not promote alcohol.

There is a chance that the 2003 BASS AOY will not be able to work out a promotional campaign with Busch that he is comfortable with. Then everybody loses. B.A.S.S. would especially lose because they won't come through on their promise to Busch.

Contingency Would Be Better

A Busch AOY program based on a contingency basis would be a much better program. Let the anglers choose whether they want to promote Busch and be eligible for the AOY prize money. This should not be a mandatory program.

If the new AOY does not want to participate in the program, then Busch can use whoever else they choose to do their marketing campaign with. Anglers like Denny Brauer and Kevin VanDam would not disappoint the folks at Busch.

It is important to note that Busch does contingency programs in other sports they are involved with. I don't believe Busch demanded a mandatory AOY program from B.A.S.S. I believe B.A.S.S., in their urgency to sign a major non-endemic sponsor, went over the top and promised Busch way more than they needed to in order to immediately ink the deal.

This whole mess was caused by just a couple of folks at B.A.S.S. who negotiated the deal with Busch. They made a mistake in the negotiations and gave Busch more than they needed to.

I realize B.A.S.S. has made promises to Busch and can't back out of the mandatory program for 2003. But I am hoping some middle ground can be reached before the 2004 season. After 2003, B.A.S.S. could approach Busch and indicate that the program could be improved by switching it to a contingency program. I am confident Busch would not have a problem with the change, as Anheuser-Busch offers many other contingency programs in other sports.

As a member of the 10-man B.A.S.S. Athlete Advisory Council, I have been in on all the recent communication between B.A.S.S., ESPN and the fishermen. I am ashamed to say that this contingency proposal never came up in our meetings. I don't have an answer as to why it took me so long to "see the light." I can only say that I now believe a Busch AOY program that is on a contingency basis is the best service for B.A.S.S. to offer. Everyone will win with a contingency program. Everyone may lose with a mandatory program.

From the Christian Perspective

Changing the subject just a little bit, I have been getting a lot of emails and phone calls from concerned Christian anglers about the Busch program. Many are looking to Mark Davis and I for direction.

I have no interest in participating in the Busch AOY program. I am going to wear the revised patch and boat decal next season only because they are mandatory. If I should be so fortunate to win AOY, I will make an attempt to work out some sort of "Don't drink" campaign with Busch. I believe it is important to make an effort to engage Busch in their marketing efforts. We may not be able to come to terms, but I am willing to make an effort.

I will graciously decline any AOY money I may qualify for. This will give me a great platform to share my faith with those who will listen. A man who turns down $100,000 cash based on the principals of his faith will really have an audience. People will be curious. It will be an opportunity for me to glorify Jesus Christ, my priceless Lord and Savior.

I respect the decisions of other Christian pros, like Lendell Martin Jr., who decided to not fish rather than wear the Busch patch. While that may have been the right move for Lendell, I do not believe this is the right course of action for me.

If all the Christian pros followed Lendell's lead and quit, who would be left on Tour to lead the Fellowship of Christian Anglers meetings? Who would be left on Tour to share Jesus Christ with the lost? Who would be left to shine their light in the darkness? The Christians need to stay in the game so that we can have a platform to share our faith and have an influence in this world for Christ.

I am firmly convinced that Jesus' Great Commission to "Go into all the world to spread the gospel" applies to the 2003 BASSMASTER Tour as well, Busch patch and all.

This column also appeared on Jay Yelas' web site, www.jayyelas.com (click here to go there).