Ranger Boats and FLW Tourney Extend Sponsorship Reach

Good news for the battered boat manufacturing industry, which has surprising strength in Arkansas.

FLW, the world’s leading tournament fishing organization, announced today (Nov. 9) that Ranger Boats of Flippin, Ark. has signed a multi-year contract extension as the exclusive boat sponsor of FLW.

The contract, which didn’t disclose a price tag, also includes Ranger Boats sponsorship at 191 FLW tournament events in 2011. FLW and Ranger Boats have had a sponsorship partnership for 16 years.

“To have Ranger Boats demonstrate this type of commitment says a lot about their dedication to being the premiere bass and walleye boat manufacturer in the world,” said FLW chairman Irwin Jacobs. “FLW and Ranger Boats have been together since the beginning and we have enjoyed growing together and making professional bass and walleye fishing the exciting and marketable products they are today.

As part of the sponsorship, Ranger Boats will retain exclusive exposure across all platforms of FLW, including its tournaments, FLW’s multiple websites, FLW Outdoors Magazine and various FLW events.

“We have such a tremendous history with FLW,” said Ranger Boats President Randy Hopper. “From the very first tournaments we’ve shared a vision dedicated to the growth and conservation of the sport of fishing. Our Ranger Cup contingency program continues to deliver the highest rewards to Ranger owners across the country and we’re fortunate to have been a part of so many advancements and opportunities in angling over the years. We look forward to even more exciting things to come as we continue to grow together with FLW.”

Ranger Boats is headquartered in Flippin, Ark., and is the nation’s largest manufacturer of premium fiberglass fishing boats.

In October 2010, the company announced a $13 million expansion of its manufacturing facility in Flippin and added 115 new jobs.