BERKLEY JOINS FLW OUTDOORS SALTWATER SPONSOR LINEUP

February 16 2005

MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 16, 2005) — FLW Outdoors announced today that Berkley will be a sponsor of the new Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series. Berkley, a leader in the world’s fishing tackle industry, has also renewed its freshwater sponsorship and will enter into its seventh year as an FLW Outdoors sponsor.

Berkley’s core business comprises the 52 million Americans who pick up rods each year and head out to waters across the country. Through its sponsorship of FLW Outdoors, Berkley has the opportunity to continue to gain insight into anglers and their requirements out on the water.
As a sponsor, Berkley brands such as Trilene, FireLine, Power Bait and Gulp! will be visible components of the FLW Kingfish Tour and FLW Redfish Series as well as the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, EverStart Series, Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour and Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League.

In August, FLW Outdoors announced it would enter into the world of saltwater angling with the additions of the FLW Kingfish Tour and the FLW Redfish Series to its list of competitive fishing circuits. The FLW Kingfish Tour and the FLW Redfish Series aim to meet the demand and grow the market for competitive saltwater angling.

“At Berkley, the angler is our boss,” said Bob Hoose, saltwater field services manager for Berkley. “We have extremely strong relationships with anglers, and when FLW Outdoors announced it would be adding saltwater trails, we immediately recognized the opportunity to communicate directly with the country’s top kingfish and redfish anglers.

Hoose went on to state: “At Berkley, fishing is more than just a business. It’s everything we are. Our passions. Our goals. Our dreams. All that we do is centered on fishing. This sponsorship is a natural for us to further embrace our saltwater anglers.”

As an FLW Outdoors sponsor, Berkley brands Trilene, FireLine, Gulp! and Power Bait will be featured in a variety of media formats, most notably the “FLW Outdoors” television program on Fox Sports Net. Sponsors also benefit from prominent advertisements and news features in FLW Outdoors Magazine and at FLWOutdoors.com. Further publicity opportunities at FLW Outdoors include sponsor-specific product displays in the Family Fun Zone, signage at tournaments, angler-award programs, and other promotional and public-relations materials. Berkley will also have the opportunity to use the “Proud Sponsor of FLW Outdoors” logo on its products.

“Berkley is the authority in fishing tackle, and many of our anglers use their products on a daily basis,” said Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors. “We have been partners for seven consecutive years and are eager to grow their business through the new FLW Kingfish Tour and FLW Redfish Series.”

Berkley, headquartered in Spirit Lake, Iowa, is the recognized leader in fishing tackle performance and innovation. Their global manufacturing, sales and marketing organization includes over 1,400 dedicated coworkers and six regional operating centers worldwide. Berkley is dedicated to helping anglers everywhere have more fun catching more fish.

For more information or to enter a tournament, call (270) 252-1000 or browse this Web site.

Wal-Mart and many of America’s largest and most respected companies support FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as title sponsor of the FLW Tour in 1997 and today is the title sponsor of all FLW Outdoors events. For more information on Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.

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