This week marked another milestone in the world of pro bass, as Brad Knight became the new Forrest Wood Cup champion, pocketing a cool half-a-mil. Like most of us, I can only imagine what it’s like to cash such a check, and how quickly I’d spend it. Tackle Warehouse would need to hold an emergency board meeting.

Knight’s demeanor was somewhat cool and collected following the win, yet blended with a bit of inexperience in the limelight, but he should make a good monarch for the year. Prior to his victory, Knight was relatively unknown to many BassFans. It reminds me of 2007, when Scott Suggs won the first million-dollar purse; his only win prior came in a BFL a decade earlier.

Knight’s record shows recent consistency, however, as he cashed a check in every Tour event in 2014. His latest triumph will certainly take his career to a new level.

While Knight’s obscurity left fans guessing, a few big names also popped up during the tournament. Jacob Wheeler was, undoubtedly, the headliner who left everyone talking. Occasionally the subject of cynicism for his no-holds-barred, anything-goes style, Wheeler again demonstrated why he is one of FLW’s best big-money fishermen.

No one holds a candle to Wheeler’s record in FLW Championships in recent years. Since winning the All-American at age 20, Wheeler’s also won the Cup, and never placed out of the Top 10 since. In the same time, he took down BASSFest and went back-to-back as champion of the made-for-TV Ultimate Match Fishing series.

And discussion of this year’s Cup cannot go on without mention of Larry Nixon. I’ve said it here before, but Nixon’s longevity as a true contender in the sport must be mentioned, for it’s unlike any in history. Nixon again took his shot last week, this coming over 35 years since his first recognized national win. Imagine how the sport has changed over that time; from flashers to Side Imagers, mono to braid, 12 volts to 36.

Heck, back when Nixon started, the only guys fishing offshore structure were trolling spoon plugs. Today, the sport would be unrecognizable to other fishermen of that era, yet Nixon continues to go to the bank every Monday.

Back at the show, we saw FLW mix it up a little, but stay relatively conservative. A few new analysts provided coverage; like quite often in pro bass fishing’s marketing world, it appears there may be a little transition going on there. But change is often good.

It takes weeks to determine the impact of the event and how it was viewed by the fan base, both in terms of quantity and quality. Looking back, I pondered what makes for the most memorable championships in the first place and came up with two ideas.

Without question, big catches create excitement. For this reason, the decision by B.A.S.S to move it’s Classic to spring has been a home run, though hardcore fans, including me, were critical at first. Examples abound: the Toho big-bass beatdown, VanDam in Louisiana, Howell’s crankbait clinic. It’s true, big catches create memories, and I’ve always felt FLW has struggled with that due to its choice of somewhat mediocre fishing venues. I wonder: if FLW intends to keep its season-ending championship positioned in the summer months, why not go north? Just avoid Chicago and Pittsburgh.

Celebrity athletes also make for a great game, and fishing is no different. I’m a relatively infrequent viewer of big-money poker, but my attention span goes through the roof when the head table features a well-known pro like Phil Helmuth or Johnny Chan. I put the remote down.

The same goes for bass fishing. Whether it’s an old-school fan like me rooting for Klein or Yelas, the mid-range guys enamored with Skeet, Ike and Ehrler, or the newest generation backing pros like Lucas or Avena, we all have our favorites. Their success determines our interest.

Sometimes money can buy fans, too. No one will forget the aforementioned Suggs win. A million dollars would change everything, so we were told.

But did it? Perhaps, to some degree. However, while the immediate attention span of America seems to change daily, we still wait for it to land on bass fishing. When will we be “trending”?

Regardless, one of the two annual world championships has passed, and with it, another life has been changed. That part never ceases to amaze me: every year, a few more guys get rich catching bass. More money changes hands than most Americans would even believe, given the chance they found out. The years go by, the performers lay it all on the line; a champion is crowned.

But what’s next? FLW still dishes out huge sums, yet we’ve seen a few of its star athletes move to B.A.S.S. What a contrast to the early days, when every bass pro in America jammed the phone lines trying to get in. And although B.A.S.S. may be in-demand with a select few, overall the field size remains near 100, despite previous announced “cuts” that never materialized.

As fans, we’ll wait and see. Perhaps a change is on the horizon.

(Joe Balog is the often-outspoken owner of Millennium Promotions, Inc., an agency operating in the fishing and hunting industries. A former Bassmaster Open and EverStart Championship winner, he's best known for his big-water innovations and hardcore fishing style. He's a popular seminar speaker, product designer and author, and is considered one of the most influential smallmouth fishermen of modern times.)