Celebrating Our 20th v i n n A ersary
“The World’s Largest Saltwater Tournament Trail”
“
T
he Southern Kingfish Association (SKA) has to
be the hottest tournament trail in all of salt water fishing these days. SKA tournaments are popping
up like mushrooms, and participation is rapidly growing too, both in terms of the public joining in and of the number of boat companies who are jumping aboard as sponsors. Clearly, the SKA has become big business.
”
John Brownlee Salt Water Sportsman
th
2010
©2010 Holmes Communications No part of this document may be reproduced in part or in whole without express permission of publisher.
rev. 09/09
1
INTRODUCTION
The Southern Kingfish Association… Celebrating Twenty Years of Successful Planning and Execution In the ‘97 quarterly report issued by the NMMA, Jeff Napier was quoted as saying, “Fundamentally, boating is making an historic change from an increasingly unsuccessful production-push approach to a consumer-oriented, demand-pull, market researchbased approach.” He also cites the two fundamental rules of successful marketing; 1. Know your customers; and 2. Give them what they want, how they want it. We’ve known this was going to happen because we’re a very product oriented organization. Our membership consume a lot of product each year and they know what they want. The Southern Kingfish Association was formed in 1991 with goals of becoming the B.A.S.S. of saltwater fishing. To accomplish this first we needed a common specie, one that brought little ecological baggage. Hence, the King Mackerel. It’s stocks are in great shape and, thanks to strict government regulation, have reached their best levels in the past 20 years. They are not on the endangered or over-fished list. Plus they’re easy to catch and you don’t need a big or go-fast boat to pursue these wily gamesters. Our first goal was to sell the sportsman on this specie, then get him or her into local competitions. It was relatively easy since many events were already in place from the Carolinas down thru northern Florida. We simply convinced the local tournaments that we would be an asset if they allowed us to sanction their event. That too panned out with the SKA now working with over 50 events from the Carolinas thru Louisiana forming the Tournament Trail. It worked so well that the events last year returned, to the over 40,000 participating anglers, over 3 million dollars in prizes and cash. While this is impressive, we still managed to donate over a million dollars to charities and marine resource programs. The SKA is governed by a Board of Directors, 28 fishermen and industry executives from every level, who set policy, rules, and settle all disputes that may arise. A set of universal angling rules were devised and approved plus a strict code of conduct. This unique undertaking sets the standard for all events to use and follow. We also knew that if we were to become successful we needed to develop a hard core group of professional fishermen that could represent manufacturers, sell their products thru endorsements and participation, and teach and encourage more to fish. We have those fishermen today, poised, polished, and eager to go to work, fishing the Professional Kingfish Tour. So just who are these fishermen, their lifestyles, and their community spirit? What are the products they demand and what will it take to reach this market? Let’s take it one step at a time and explore every facet so you have a true insight into this unique niche market.
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2
THE TRAIL
It’s tournament time at the Kingbuster.
Anglers join the SKA in one of two categories: competition or associate. Competition member status allows him, her, or the family to compete on the trail for prizes. They can also choose associate membership that gets them membership goodies plus Angler magazine, but does not allow for tournament competition. The 2009 Mercury Tournament Trail is composed of more than 40 tournaments in eleven divisions. Anglers fish in any geographic division they choose, made up of three to five tournaments, most of which are local or within easy reach of their homes. The object is to do their best in each event they enter. The SKA tabulates the team’s best fish from each event. Scores are added with their combined best three fish and the top 25 boats from each division move to the National Championship. Prizes are awarded in the championship (over $450,000 worth) and make for exhilarating competition. We started the 23' and under class in 1999. What a tremendous success! We found that there was a class of fishermen that thought they just couldn’t compete with the big boys, and they were, in some instances, right! The smaller boats just don’t have the range or the speed to run long distances to get to the fish.
Now they can compete and the Class of 23 is really doing well. Then there’s our Pro division specifically designed for the pros, the Yamaha Professional Tour. There are five events with the SKA counting each team’s best seven fish. This competition determines our “Angler of the Year.” This division requires a major commitment in both time and dollars on behalf of the fishermen. We also reward our juniors and lady anglers for just being on board, a part of the team. Great prizes await our winners. It has been determined that each boat’s crew spends $1,400 to fish any divisional competition while the Pro division player will spend over $6,000 because of the added time and expense of travel. This amount only represents out-of-pocket expenses and does not reflect time away from their professions, boat, tackle, and truck purchases. Family participation is a cornerstone of the SKA. In fact, a survey of members showed that 48% fish with one or more immediate family member in tournaments. 65% said they compete to share the experience with family or friends also.
Ladies from divisional competition get their awards
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3
THE MARKET
The average size boat used by an SKA member is 25.5 feet in length. The king mackerel fisherman portrayed by outside sources as running around the ocean in high powered boats traveling hundreds of miles in pursuit of their quarry is grossly exaggerated. Our marketing studies reveal that the average size boat owned by a member in 1991 was 24.5 feet and had an average age of 5 years. Two years ago we again sought to find what changes had occurred over the past few years and we found that the average length was 25.5 feet but the age had gone from 5 years to just 2.5 years. They need fresh boats and motors to be able to compete. We’ve also discovered that they want boats that allow them to fish better. The number one consideration was open water performance, while the number two consideration was live well capacity, then speed. The fierce competition drives these anglers to own and use new product. Advertising does not mean as much to them as peer endorsement. The “I want a boat just like Joe’s,” syndrome is predominate. Advertising answers questions and gets the prospective customer to begin his search and questioning. The SKA angler is very loyal. We asked a prominent NASCAR marketing firm to look at our demographics and their response was, “The SKA angler is parallel to that of the NASCAR fan, in some instances maybe more loyal.” One of our sponsors, Igloo, attended the Kingbuster tournament to determine the number of their coolers being used by our fishermen. The Kingbuster is unique in that we can dock over 80 tournament boats on one dock at the municipal marina, the site of the event. After the rev. 09/09
boats had weighed, Igloo management walked the docks looking for coolers. Of the 80 boats moored, they could only find three boats with competing product. The loyalty factor to the sponsor prevailed. 86% own a center console while 14% prefer a walk around. All boats have a VHF radio and all have lorans or GPS’s. 65% of the association still prefer to frequent a tackle store as opposed to discount stores. 96% run outboard powered boats. Pick-up trucks play an important role in the life of the mackerel fisherman. 72% own a pick-up while 24% own another type, mostly Suburbans and Excursions. As more and more of the top anglers look to the 30 foot plus market, larger trucks have to be considered also. Chevrolet and Ford lead the brand field. Consider this: Over 14,000 boats fished king mackerel tournaments last year. The average boat carries 6 rods; that totals 840,000 rods and reels. If each of these reels were re-spooled twice a year, which is really a low figure, and the average spool carries 400 yards, then the SKA consumes over 33 million yards of line per year. We also know we use well over a million treble hooks a year and over a half million swivels. 136 boats fished our National Championship in 1996. Over 81,000 gallons of fuel was consumed and a 1.12 million dollar impact on the community was enjoyed. 750 people were present at the captains meeting and 580 dinners were served at the annual banquet. In the 2004 Championship, 380 boats were represented which would double the impact on a local community. We had 3,000 anglers, family members, industry people, and friends descend on Biloxi, Mississippi. SKA King Mackerel fishing is really big business! 4
THE SKA ANGLER In 1991, we found the average tournament angler coming to a weigh-in in a dirty T-shirt, in dirty boats with beer cans littering the cockpit sole, and tackle that looked like it had come thru World War II. Today that angler’s boat shines, many with sponsor logos. He’s dressed in a clean team shirt, and his tackle is new and in pristine shape. He or she is polished and knows how to show off the catch if it’s a good one. They carry the catch in special fish bags designed to keep the fish in good shape to the scale and in every way they extol the virtues of a true professional. We’ve taught them how to relate to the press also and they are quick to mention sponsors, even showing TV people their boats and tackle. What a transformation! The SKA tournament participant is above average in income earnings. Over 69% earn over $90,000 per year. The majority, 68%, fall in the 35 to 60 age bracket, married, and over half take their sons or daughters fishing. More than half are college educated and the majority practice religion. Because of the longevity of the association and easy access to fishing techniques, most of the fishermen have gained intermediate or advanced / expert fishing status. He or she fishes an average of 8.2 tournaments a year but finds time to get on the water 41 days per year. 72% also bottom fish. The most popular offshore fish, besides mackerel, is dolphin. Each member spends an average of $1,416 per year on terminal tackle. 47% of our anglers like to hunt in the off season (December thru February).
“Over 38,000 anglers participated in SKA events in 2008”
The coveted Top Angler of the Year Award.
2008 Angler of the Year Mark Henderson and his family
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THE SKA ANGLER II Our professional anglers will put over 30,000 miles on their tow vehicle this year. Most can afford to purchase any boat, tackle, or truck they wish. To them, this is a sport as intense and professional as major league baseball or pro football. Of our top 20 fishing teams three are husband and wife teams, and three fish with their sons. One of these teams is a three generation team, grandfather, father, and daughter. King mackerel fishing is a family sport. The most important thing to remember about our members—
SKA Top Angler of the Year, Clayton Kirby, with a 50-pound Atlantic Kingfish, a very special catch.
He or she just wants to belong, to be a part of a team, and to contribute.
A sponsored SKA team boat.
• Earnings $31,000 - $40,000 $41,000 - $50,000 $51,000 - $100,000 Over $100,000
rev. 09/09
5% 22%
We recommend that any dealings, regardless of amount, be done on a contractual basis if you decide to sponsor anglers or teams. Make sure that the angler or team indicates what his or her performance will be for the duration of the contract. (how many events will he or she fish, what are those events, what else is he or she willing to do for sponsorship consideration, trade shows, seminars, etc.) We have found over the past ten years, that those with performance contracts out perform those without. We will be happy to help you evaluate your choices.
24% 47%
6
Outboards: 23% run singles 58% run twins 19% run triples A handful run quads
THE SKA ANGLER III
Boats: 69% of boats are 2 years old or newer 79% bought new boats 50% indicated they would buy a new boat in the next year 28% indicated Ęť11 Boats preferred: either 30' or over or class of 23 Trucks: 1st choice: Ford F250 65% own a truck or SUV 2 years old or newer 25% of the membership plans to buy a new truck within the next 12 months 75% of the membership buy after market accessories 42% of SKA members are self employed.
Southern Kingfish Association, Inc. Class Comparison 2008 32% 68% Overall Class Class of 23
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CLASS OF 23' and UNDER
This very special class was designed specifically for those fishermen competing in boats with a waterline length of 23 feet or less who feel that they fish at a disadvantage competing with the larger boats. Now they have a class of their own and the majority of our tournaments now recognize this group and reward them with cash prizes. The top 20 qualifiers from each of the 11 divisions will go to the Nationals and compete against other boats of their class. A National Champion will be crowned from this group. This very well may be our largest group of fishermen in the association within the next couple of years. Growth is phenomenal.
Southern Kingfish Association, Inc. Class of 23 and Under Comparison
700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0
rev. 06/08
1998
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2008 8
No Matter How You Slice It, It Makes Sense to Tap Into This Growing Market SKA Yearly Generations: $38,400,000 Boat Sales | A Minimum of 320 Boats Purchased Each Year at an Average of $120,000 Per Boat by Members. Includes Motors and Trailer.
8,000,000 Boat Sales | Team Members or Non-Members Who Fish the Trail and/or Select Tournaments. Some of these buy used.
3,600,000 4,000,000 280,000 2,000,000 3,150,000
Tackle Purchases Fuel Sales, Tournaments Only Oil for Boat New Electronics Tournament Entry Fees | Members and Non-members
1,281,000 Replacement Parts | for Boats, Pumps, Rope, etc. 564,000 Ice | Captains purchase an average of Six Bags per Event they fish at $10 per Bag.
810,000 Food and Drink for Boat 1,793,400 Insurance Per Year 32,000,000 New Trucks Each Year | 1,000 Members Buy A New Truck Every Three Years. Average of $32,000 per Truck
1,921,500 Truck Fuel | Based on 120 miles to and from each event at $2.50 per gallon. 90% of the vehicles are 250’s or 350’s
1,400,000 Direct Economic Impact to Host City for the National Championship | Includes Lodging, Slips, Food,
Contact Us to Claim Your Slice of the SKA Pie Today!
Entertainment, etc.
$99,136,900 • All estimations are considered below average. • More expenditures could be factored in including lodging and expenses from the Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour that would boost the bottom line figure to more than one hundred million dollars.
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CORPORATE PARTNER BENEFITS
For the 2010 season which runs from the end of January through the first weekend in November, and then is culminated with the National Championship the third weekend in November, there are 45+ tournaments in 10 Divisions. Each Division represents three to five tournaments in which members fish as many Divisions as they choose to try to qualify to fish for nearly $500,000 in cash and prizes in the Championship. Each Division will qualify 25 boats in the Open Division, and 20 boats in the Class of 23. Add another 70 boats from the Professional Kingfish Tour plus all the past National Champions and Top Anglers of the Year who receive automatic qualification, and you have a possibility of over 500 teams fishing the Championship. There were over 38,000 anglers who participated in the tournaments in 2008 all trying to qualify for the Championship. The majority of those fishermen were SKA members. In these events, anglers competed for over three million dollars in cash and prizes with another million dollars going to local charities and marine enhancement programs. The formula works as follows: There were an average of 185 boats participating in each tournament in 2008. There are an average of four anglers per boat including the Captain. In 2008 that would represent 42,180 anglers, all of whom could purchase your product! In order to stay in touch with these fishermen and for the SKA to give the members who excel the publicity they deserve we publish Angler magazine eleven times a year. Over 25,000 anglers per month receive and read the publication. Through our own marketing studies they read the magazine from cover to cover. Every Corporate Partner is required to show-
rev. 09/09
case (advertise) its product in the magazine, the number of times based on the level of sponsorship. This is done to gain impressions plus assists the marketing arm of the SKA in promoting their product. When you factor in the pass along rate magazines in general use, NEWS RELE ASE you instantly gain 63,000 impressions per month. Each Corporate Partner’s logo also appears on the Corporate Partners page of the magazine. Each Corporate Partner also receives a couple of articles each year in Angler magazine to further enhance the Partners participation with the anglers. The SKA generates 150 press releases a year all of which make reference to the majority of the larger participating Corporate Partners. These releases herald an upcoming event, tournament results, and angler accomplishments. The majority of these are to newspaper Outdoor Editors and boating and fishing magazine writers. As our tournament trail is the largest saltwater tournament trail in the world, most of our releases get used. If only 85 of these releases were used and each paper had a circulation of 50,000, that would equate to over four million impressions. We know most Outdoor Editors in major cities and receive press clippings from them. In 1999 we kept track of all our releases and calculated over three million impressions. However, without the services of a clipping agency we cannot determine the use rate in smaller publications. Our budget precludes such an agency. Spectators at fishing tournaments average 800 people. Keep in mind that those numbers are inflated somewhat because of the two biggest tournaments, the Greater Jacksonville and the Alabama Deep Sea Rodeo which represent over 55,000 people. Our National FO
SKA 15 Garnett Ave St Augustine FL 32084 Phone: 904.8 19.03 FAX: 904.819.03 60 31 sokingfish@ aol.com www.fishska.com
2 0 0 3..
Corporate Partn ers: Mercury Marin e Fountain Power boats Dakota Donzi Pro-Line Sea-Pro Palmetto Rugged Shark Shoes Loadmaster Trailers Boater s World Penn Hancock Marin e Furuno Ocean Waves Lowrance SPRO Swive ls Turbo Props Hi-Seas Line Flo Scan C&H Lures American Fishin g Wire Bluewater Tower s Silverstar
Corporate Partn ers: Yamaha Outbo ards Contender Boats Loadmaster Trailers Raymarine Electr onics
IM
M E D I A TE
R ELEASE
Contact: Jack Holmes Southern Kingfi sh Association 904.819.0360 Fax: 904.819033 1
20 December 2002
KIN GFI SH
Featuring the
R
TOU RNA MEN
T SET FOR ANR ANS AS
PASS! The Southern Kingfish Assoc iation announced Texas Division the second tourn Eight at Arans ament of its as Pass July 11th Pass King Mack thru 13th. Dubb erel Tournamen ed the Aransas t, it will be held Marina in conju out of Conn Brow nction with Coas n Harb tal Yachts. or We are really happy to be involv ed with the city Coastal Yacht s, said SKAs of Aransas Pass Managing Partn and in Port Aransas er Jack Holmes. was a tremendous Last year s event success and angle caught big fish. rs from all over the state John Thomas Dusek s Yellow fin topped the We really didn leader board t have to run far, with a 50 pound said the popu 140 feet of water er. lar Captain. . Fishing this part She was found of the Texas coast What was really in is as good as remarkable was it gets. that they had weighed nearl another fish on y as much. board that The tournamen t was so good that it took a 39 ten. Most of our pounder just to Texas anglers make told me that they the top year, added couldn t wait to Holmes. We expect a very get back next of the local fisher large turnout in men. 03, with the suppo The Southern rt Kingfish Assoc iation produces the largest saltwa the Mercury Tourn ter trail in the ament Trail, world. Over 10,00 sions from North 0 teams comp Carolina to Texas ete in 13 divito earn the right state in the year to represent their end National Championship. home from Georgia This year the title who went home fell to a team with over $200 Jose Reyes Jr. ,000 in cash and from Houston, prizes although Texas fishing a in the event. boat named Papo tonic earned fifth The Mercury Tourn ament Trail follow Mackerel each s the migration year. pattern of the King The Aransas Pass King Mackerel Tournament is community. The open to the gener Captain s meeti al angling ng and final regist night the 11th ration will be at Conn Brow held on Friday n Marina from and Sunday from 6 to 8 P.M. Fishin 6 A.M. till 5 P.M. g will be Satur with the weigh also. The large day in happening st king mackerel at the marina weighed will win are prizes for a minimum of ladies and junior $10,000. There s as well. -more-
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CORPORATE PARTNER BENEFITS
Championship draws over 4,000 spectators. That's well over 100,000 impressions per year if you count them seeing your banner or physical product only one per weekend. At the majority of the events, SKA personnel do the event announcing and SKA Corporate Partners are mentioned frequently. At many of the events, especially the Pro Tour events and National Championship, Corporate Partners in attendance receive personal interviews on stage. When members of the press are on hand, they too are encouraged to get quotes from Corporate Partners to add flavor to their stories. The SKA presence at each event focuses around the SKA trailers. (We have four we use throughout the year.) Each trailer is logoed or wrapped with sponsor IDs for greater visibility. Each fishing team is required to come to the SKA trailer to fill out a registration form. At the same time they can get the latest tournament information, purchase tackle and SKA and Corporate Partners logoed clothing. Impressions are based on the number of com-
rev. 09/09
petitors and spectators. Each trailer however is a rolling billboard along the highways of North Carolina, south through both coasts of Florida, and west through Louisiana. The U.S. Trucking Association estimates that there are an average of 102 visual impressions per mile on major highways. As we run over 100,000 miles per year in our truck and trailer combinations that represents over 10 million impressions per year. You can't believe how many people come up to us at every fuel stop to just talk fishing. The SKA web site (www.fishska.com) is one of the most popular fishing sites on the web. Of course all of our Partners are tied in to this site. Over 4,900 hits per day with the top page being Tournament Trail points and schedules. Second is classifieds, and the third is sponsors. Most of the SKA marketing information is gathered through membership applications which give a host of personal information. Each year a questionnaire is sent with renewal notices so as to keep track of recent trends.
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COMMUNICATIONS
ANGLER MAGAZINE Angler magazine is the bible of our association and, while we do use direct mail for membership drives and renewals, most of the yearly tournament news comes to the fishermen in the pages of Angler. Hard-hitting editorials, a calendar of events, fishing tips, and the most comprehensive tournament results are included in each issue. Angler is circulated to every member 11 times a year, (no issue in December) plus tournament distribution. Angler is printed on 40 pound hi-brite newsprint with an 80 pound gloss four color cover. Newsprint is used because of tight deadlines and printing schedules. Angler magazine is the official publication of the Southern Kingfish Association.
rev. 06/08
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ANGLER MAGAZINE RATES RATES Black and White
1x
3x
6x
11x
Full Page
$1,860
$1,797
$1,733
$1,627
Junior Page
$1,551
$1,487
$1,428
$1,326
2/3 page
$1,488
$1,426
$1,361
$1,262
1/2 page
$1,174
$1,111
$1,064
$995
1/3 page
$973
$934
$904
$834
1/4 page
$796
$776
$743
$709
1/8 page
$642
$629
$610
$545
1x
3x
6x
11x
Full Page
$3,124
$3,023
$2,883
$2,735
Junior Page
$2,767
$2,668
$2,602
$2,463
2/3 page
$2,456
$2,382
$2,309
$2,186
1/2 page
$2,113
$2,030
$1,967
$1,862
1/3 page
$1,871
$1,811
$1,759
$1,680
1/4 page
$1,812
$1,741
$1,686
$1,612
Color
COVER Inside Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $3,545 Inside Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,247 Outside Back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,861 DIMENSIONS Ad Size Width x Height (inches) Full page . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.25 x 12.25 Full page bleed . . . . . . . .10.75 x 13.75 Junior page . . . . . . . . . . . .6.875 x 10 2/3 page . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.25 x 7 1/2 horizontal . . . . . . . . . . .9.25 x 6 1/2 vertical . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.5 x 12.25 1/3 page . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.75 x 6 1/4 square . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.5 x 6 1/4 vertical . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.125 x 12.25 1/8 vertical . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.125 x 6
Special position ads, when available, 10% premium. Spot color inside magazine, add $100 per color, limit two plus black.
DEADLINES: Issue
Insertion Order Due
Ad Materials Due
January ’10
November 24, 2009
December 1, 2009
February ’10
January 2, 2010
January 10, 2010
March ’10
February 1, 2010
February 11, 2010
April ’10
March 1, 2010
March 10, 2010
May ’10
April 1, 2010
April 12, 2010
June ’10
May 3, 2010
May 10, 2010
July ’10
June 1, 2010
June 10, 2010
August ’10
July 1, 2010
July 12, 2010
September ’10
August 2, 2010
August 10, 2010
October ’10
September 1, 2010
September 10, 2010
November ’10
October 1, 2010
October 11, 2010
(No December Issue)
Fax insertion orders to: 904.819.0331 attn.: Deona
Trim size: 10.25" x 13.25" 1/4" inch bleed all four sides. Keep all live matter .375" from trim edges. E-mail materials to: anglerpages@mac.com For more advertising material specifications go to: www.fishska.com/angler_mag_specs/ rev. 09/09
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FREQUENCY DISCOUNTS Discounts are allowed only with a signed and approved contract. 2% DISCOUNT, on all accounts paid in full and received within 10 days from invoice. 15% DISCOUNT of net billing allowed to recognized advertising agencies on all ads (excluding production charges) providing they are supplied to digital specifications and account is paid in full within 30 days of invoice date. PRODUCTION CHARGES Billed at a cost plus 10% basis. Creative charges quoted in advance. REGULATIONS: For Copy and Contracts 1. Ad position is at the discretion of the publisher. 2. Publisher/SKA is not liable for any omissions or errors if at the publisher’s option, publisher publishes a corrected advertisement in the next edition. In no event shall the Publisher/SKA be liable for damages in excess of the cost of advertisement. 3. Publisher/SKA reserves the right to decline advertising for reasons of inappropriate content, deception, or poor taste. Only advertising in concert with the intent of the publication will be accepted. 4. Advertising must be inserted consecutively to earn frequency discount. Frequency discounts not applicable to multiple insertions in a single issue. 5. No cancellations accepted after closing date. Canceled contracts will be re-billed according to the actual number of insertions that occurred during the contract term. Make-good ads due three working days prior to closing. MECHANICAL REQUIREMENTS Trim: 10 1/4" x 13 1/4" Bleed: 10 1/2" x 13 1/2" Double truck trim: 20 1/2" x 13 1/4" Interior: Web offset, 40# hi-brite newsprint, grayscale 85 line screen, color 100 line screen. Cover: 80# gloss, 133 to 150 line screen. Media: CD, DVD, Compact Flash Card File Specifications: Digital files are required. PDF files preferred (no crop marks, no slugs). Additional charges may be incurred for other platforms or files that require digital manipulation. Files should be built at 100% trim size, as single pages, with bleed. Acceptable Formats: Adobe CS3: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop or QuarkXPress 6.5. Include all printer/screen fonts, logos, and linked artwork. All artwork must be in grayscale or CMYK mode and saved as TIF or EPS (do not use jpeg preview). Images must be 250 to 300 ppi (pixels per inch) at actual size. Do not use image compression or include ICC profiles or postscript color management. PDF Preferred: (ver. 4 or higher) Do not include color bars, slugs, trim marks, or registration marks. Be sure to follow all industry standard pre-press guidelines. Fonts and hirev. 09/09
res graphics must embed properly. To download settings for Distiller, go to FishSKA.com and click the About tab, then Media, then Angler Specifications. Electronic File Tips: The ppi (resolution) of a file cannot be increased. Scan to achieve 250-300 ppi at required size; do not enlarge pixel-based images in Quark or InDesign. Do not nest EPS or TIFF files in other EPS files. Word, WordPerfect or other text-based formats will not be accepted as final digital artwork. PICT, JPEG, GIF, and WMF file formats are not supported. Proofs: Digital proofs or laser file printouts must be provided with all art submissions at 100% size. If the file is sent through e-mail, fax a hard copy of the ad to 904.819.0331. Publisher will not run ad without a hard copy. Industry standard contract proofs such as digital Iris or MatchPrint are recommended for all full color ads. In the event the client does not supply a color proof, the publisher will not be held responsible for color reproduction. Color comps, color laser, thermal wax or most ink jet proofs can be used for comprehensive and content checking only.
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www.FishSKA.com This highly-informative Web site receives thousands of hits per day during our season. It covers our history, membership information, tournament trail schedule, points, standings, and tournament results. The site serves our anglers the latest information which helps them fish and qualify for our National Championship. Sponsor logos are listed on the site with links to their sites. Advertising is also available.
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www. FishSKA.com Rates
Target the Internet! Premium Banner (rotating, above the header) 750 x 100 pixels Non-Sponsor Rate: $2,000 per year or $1,100 for 6 months Sponsor Rate: $1,500 year or $800 for 6 Months Featured Medium Rectangle (rotating, below the header) 320 x 200 pixels Sponsor Rate: $150 per month (minimum 3 months) Inline Banner (rotating, mid page) 460 x 60 pixels $125 per month (minimum 3 months) Footer Banner (rotating, below the site map) 460 x 60 pixels $110 per month (minimum 3 months) Schedule Rectangle (premium placement by division) 250 x 150 pixels $200 per calendar year (Jan. 1 – Nov. 24) Classifieds – non-member (private party) $100 for 6 weeks 250 characters with one photo $5 per extra photo Classifieds – broker or dealer One ad: $100 for 6 weeks 250 characters with one photo $5 per extra photo Two ads: $80 per ad for 6 weeks 250 characters with one photo $4 per extra photo Three ads: $70 per ad for 6 weeks 250 characters with one photo $3 per extra photo Four or more ads: $60 per ad for six weeks 250 characters with one photo $2.50 per extra photo
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Schedule Rectangle ads offer a unique opportunity to advertise next to a particular tournament. When anglers check the schedule, they will see a link to your dealership, store, restaurant or hotel.
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www. FishSKA.com Rates
Live Webcast Spots! 1. Five Yamaha Professional Kingfish Tour events. 2. Five divisional events that piggyback with the Pro events. One each in Divisions 10, 9, 8, 7, and 4. 3. Mercury Tournament Trail’s National Championship. Minimum five spots per event. SKA has been running an average of nine per event. All events: $15,000 per year. Individual Pro Events: $2,500 per event National Championship: $4,000 • Live announcements of your sponsorship in the open and close of the event. • Various mentions throughout the event plus your prerecorded 30-second spots. • Your logo will be placed on the banner displayed at the tournament site proclaiming your involvement with the live webcast. • You also receive logo placement on the SKA Web site in the announcements of the pending webcast. Do you have a local SKA sanctioned tournament? We’ll be happy to provide a live webcast of your event. $3,500 per event
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SO WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
There are several ways to participate with the Southern Kingfish Association. We’ll look at them all, but number one on the priority list must be team boats. Forget those washed down magazine boat tests; if your product can withstand the rigors of a season on the SKA trail, you’ve got something to talk about. Do some boats fail the test? Absolutely. We can tell you stories from hull failures to trailers spilling boats on I-95. Keep in mind that these stories make it to the rank and file fisherman by word of mouth. These seasoned pros know how to run a boat plus rig them too. What better place to learn from the experts? If your engineers sit in their cushy offices, never to grace the waterfront or talk to consumers, a sponsored team eliminates all this. Our guys and gals will keep them hopping. No one on the trail is getting free boats. Our fishermen fully expect to pay for the product they run and accessories they put on their boats. They also work out their own engine deals. What they look for is deals that allow them to fish the boat one year or two, then to be able to sell it and recoup their investment. They are now also looking to pick up some expense money from local sources. Think also what this team can do for you. Boat show appearances, fishing seminars, instore promotions, dealer meetings, advertising endorsements, and public relations at tournaments. Just think of them as part of your staff, plus they have stature and credibility in the fishing fraternity. Look at what Donzi did with Dave Workman Jr., and Fountain with Clayton Kirby. They not only appear in their ads but are the main salespeople in
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their booths at major shows. Who would you rather talk to at a show about your next boat, a real fisherman or a salesperson who for the most part can’t even talk fishing? Fountain and Donzi both have also announced unique incentives. Rewards for fishing their boats, it’s a very positive statement and sells product. Next is Angler magazine. An ad schedule will show the association you’re a player and deserve their consideration. Out of sight, out of mind. More and more manufacturers believe this publication is a must buy. You should have a banner or hot link on our Web site that directs consumers from our site to yours. Low cost, big results. Most manufacturers believe the only thing needed is a Web site and have had one built. Just because you have one doesn’t guarantee you’ll get response, but a tie-in to selected sites enhances your success. Of course there are sponsorship opportunities which you’ll find on another page. While this document covers all the levels, we ask that you call the experts at SKA to tailor a program for you that will maximize your exposure and results. Then there’s tournament sponsorship. Contender Boats discovered the value of tournaments. In 1997 they sponsored two events, only one being SKA. Last year they’re up to nine SKA and one billfish event. Just look at the number of their boats you see at the tournaments and you can see just how well this is paying off for them. Plus they’re bringing Yamaha along with them and they’re selling product they never had a chance of selling.
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“
T
he Southern Kingfish Association (SKA) is the
driving force in our new boat sales, we have doubled our unit sales as a result in 2005, and the
majority of our dealers support and are increasing participation in SKA events. So much so they are sponsoring their own team boats, and are winning sales as well as tournaments. We could not be more supportive of being an SKA sponsor.
”
Marty Bistrong V.P. Sales and Marketing Contender Boats
“
I
t is, without a doubt, the best thing I ever did,
sponsoring the SKA. It has driven my business and me theirs. As a sponsor, get involved, stay involved
and you will not worry about the return on investment, it is very good.
”
Ben Worthy President Loadmaster Trailers
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SKA SPONSORS CORPORATE PARTNERS MERCURY TOURNAMENT TRAILS
Mercury Outboards When the SKA was founded you couldn’t find a black motor in tournament competition. Today it’s the motor of choice. A typical SKA member’s biggest goal is to make it to the Mercury Saltwater Team. Look at the transoms; you’ll see the power of promotion. Yamaha Outboards They came on board as a sponsor of the SKA’s Pro Tour. They and Mercury dominate the members’ transoms. Contender Boats began several years ago as a Corporate Partner, developed boats for the market, and today enjoys a 20% market share among the rank and file of the membership. They utilize Angler magazine advertising, tournament sponsorship, and television. Their success story is one for the record books, a brilliant marketing strategy that has rewarded them with double digit sales increases each year Loadmaster Trailers, the success story of the 90s. They now build trailers for most of the top builders, plus nearly all pros fishing the circuit tow their rigs with a Loadmaster. Try over 65% of our membership base. Ocean Waves Sunglasses, look at all the fishermen wearing their glasses. We sell them as a convenience to our members.
FISHBOATLOANS.COM
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Not only do SKA members buy a new truck every two years— Then they pile on the accessories
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TRUCKS
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This is a very special division for the highly skilled, visible angler. Over 50 percent of these fishermen belong to some national fishing team. To be able to compete on this tour a team must qualify out of divisional competition. There are five events throughout the year with each team being allowed to weigh up to ten fish, two per event. At the end of the season, each team’s best seven fish are tallied. At the National Championships, the winner with the highest seven-fish season aggregate is crowned Top Angler of the Year, sportfishing’s most coveted title.
20 03 Ya ma ha Pro Tour Of ficial Guide
PROFESSIONAL KINGFISH TOUR ANNUAL EDITION
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2009 Yam aha Pro Tour Official G uide
Published by the second tournament of the season, the Pro Tour special edition is the official guide book for the pros. It features informative articles, tips, and tactics used by the pros, and full biography information on each of the teams fishing the tour that year. The pros are ranked in order of their finish last season, making it easy to see who is the best of the best. This edition is widely distributed at each of the pro tournaments as well as selected Divisional tournaments. Ad space is available in this publication.
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MARKET PRESENCE
Create A Stronger Market Presence! Advertising with the SKA can take place in many forms and does not need to be limited to print or the organization as a whole but can be extended to include the promotion of product and services through the sponsorship of fishing teams and tournament events. A very good example of this would be the participation of Boater’s World in financially backing Palmetto Boats fishing teams and the Boater’s World tournaments. The five Boater’s World Teams are sponsored to fish in all five pro tournaments events as well as the two Boater’s World sponsored divisional tournaments. Their package includes all entry fees, custom graphics or boat wraps, tournament clothing and incidentals that meet a predetermined budget. At every event, for their part, the individual fishing teams promote and or represent their designated products or services in a professional manner. This has a direct positive impact on all the other competitors, as well as non-SKA boaters, and the crowds at the scales. When the number of additional events fished and the amount of time that these boats spend on the road being trailered to and from these events is taken into account the number of visual impressions is impressive. These teams are also available as needed for store openings, boat shows, special events and seminars.
These fishing teams work hard and love their sport as a result they are fully involved. When the advertisers become involved on the same level everyone benefits. The following are examples of these benefits: • Interactive advertising • Showcase product and services • Test market for product • Visible support among members and public • Television exposure • Partnership between Marine industry and SKA fisherman
We can help you find one captain or a complete four- to five-boat team!
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MARKET PRESENCE
Your Own Tournament Sponsoring a divisional tournament event is an excellent way to gain exposure for your business and showcase your products and services. It provides tremendous visibility and, as in the case of Boater’s World, creates instant credibility in the market place. Boater’s World began to sponsor events three years ago with the America Striper Association in Annapolis, Maryland. Fishermen can and do register for the tournaments in the Boater’s World stores. This is not only an added convenience for the fisherman, but also increases customer awareness and customer traffic in the individual stores. Vendors gained additional visibility when a multitude of their products were given away as door prizes at the Captain’s Meeting. As every good fisherman knows presentation is everything and the high visibility of Boater’s World’s Tournament sponsorship has paid off. They were rewarded for their support with, at the very least, a 15% increase in sales thus proving its marketing power. As a result of this success, Boater’s World now sponsors two SKA divisional events, one in Clearwater and
the other in Jacksonville, Florida. All of which have been successful and are continuing to grow. This marketing model works and works well because, once again, everyone benefits.
Mercury Outboards gets a good bang for their buck by initiating a Junior Angler Scholarship Program that rewards junior anglers with a $500 scholarship certificate available to juniors when they enter college.
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CONSERVATION
When the SKA was founded, conservation was just a word with very few tournaments practicing moral responsibility. Slowly, working with the National Marine Fisheries and state agencies, we’ve convinced our sanctioned tournaments to go to a one fish per boat format. Aggregate divisions are a thing of the past. Fish Bowls that allowed anglers to turn in fish for raffle tickets (in North Carolina) have been terminated by state officials citing lottery laws. As most tournaments still collect fish that are weighed, they sell kingfish to help earn money for their charity. While we favor the collection of fish to ensure no waste occurs, we know the days are numbered for the sale of these fish. Commercial interests claim that the fish are caught by recreational fishermen but are charged against the commercial quota. A nitpick item; however, they will push their cause
until the law is changed. Every other year, the SKA keeps records of every fish that is weighed in a tournament. We compile statistics to prove and ensure our fishing has very little pressure on the resource and we are not killing too many brood stock fish. Our findings are shared with the government agencies. In the last study, approximately 200,000 pounds of kings were weighed by tournament anglers which went against a quota of over 11 million pounds. The total commercial quota this year is 32% of that quota. Unfortunately, because of the size and the teeth in a king mackerel, they cannot be kept alive and released after being weighed. The SKA is proud of its record in conservation and resource management.
Typically teams like “Kwazar” bring only one fish to the scale.
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THE NEXT GENERATION
The SKA recognizes that the junior anglers of today are the champions of tomorrow. Getting the family, and especially the kids, involved in fishing is one of our primary goals as a family-oriented organization. To encourage members to participate and share the experiences of competition with their kids, we award the top SKA juniors in every tournament with beautiful custom plaques. They don’t have to catch their own fish to win an award, just be on the boat and participate with the team. Mercury Outboards now gives the top Mercury junior angler of each event a $500 college certificate. We are very proud of the accomplishments of our junior anglers and will continue to promote their efforts in every way possible. After all, they are the future of our sport.
We have almost an equal number of juniors‌ boys and girls.
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FUTURE
So after 18 exciting years where do we go from here? Onward and upward. Our goal is to slightly reduce our tournament schedule, but put more emphasis on the tournaments themselves to heighten sponsorship awareness and increase participation. The events are developing better Captains’ meetings and award ceremonies. We have found that the more fun you make a tournament, the more participants you get. A few dollars or some prizes from manufactures can make a big difference in accomplishing our goals. We are also producing more events ourselves, to set examples and to heighten major market areas for our sponsors. We are tying in major sponsors for multi tournament series like Boater’s World Marine Centers. We will also be putting more emphasis on our Class of 23 Division. Manufacturers have built the product, now it’s up to us to make this our biggest class. Remember, these are the fishermen who will buy a 23' today, a 27' two years from now, then move even higher. Our pros need more attention, especially from the sponsor side. Not in
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terms of their sponsorship, but in added prize incentives. While like BASS, there are only a few pros compared to our rank and file members, but it’s these pros that have so much influence on what others buy.
The future is in our kids and our small boat program.
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TOURNAMENTS
The Southern Kingfish Association produces several tournaments per year, including the Professional Kingfish Tour featuring the top one hundred saltwater fishing teams in America, plus the SKA National Championship, saltwater’s most prestigious event. It also sanctions 48 charity driven events as well. rev. 09/09
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OUR HIGH VISIBILITY TRAILERS
AT ALL THE TOURNAMENTS We now have five SKA trailers one of which travels to every SKA tournament emblazoned with sponsor logos.
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The Tournament Trail‌
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Tournament Fishing is Big Business!
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“Getting Started on the SKA Tournament Trail� as featured in the March 2004 issue of Salt Water Sportsman by Gary Caputi
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Salt Water Sportsman, March 2004
Salt Water Sportsman, March 2004
Salt Water Sportsman, March 2004
Salt Water Sportsman, March 2004
For Sponsorship Opportunities with the Southern Kingfish Association, please contact Jack Holmes, Managing Partner
SOUTHERN KINGFISH ASSOCIATION, LLC 15 GARNETT AVE ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA 32084 904-819-0360 fax: 904-819-0331 Web Site: www.FishSKA.com E-mail: sokingfish@aol.com
Can you really afford not to be involved with the number one saltwater tournament organization in the country?
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