BENTON, Ky. (Aug. 4, 2025) – In a landmark move for outdoor sports and Rural Media Group, Major League Fishing (MLF) and RFD-TV announced today an exclusive broadcast partnership that will bring live tournament coverage from the MLF Team Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops to a national television audience for the first time.
Starting August 24, RFD-TV will air the final period of all 24 Team Series matches live – delivering the most intense, high-stakes moments of MLF competition straight into living rooms across the country. Broadcasts will air 2:30 to 5 p.m. ET, and unlike any other televised bass tournaments, the winner of each match will be crowned live as teams strive to survive and advance to the championship round.
This partnership is more than just a programming decision. It’s a bold step forward for both organizations. It marks MLF’s first live presence on a linear television network since Emmy-winning announcer Joe Buck, baseball analyst Bob Brenly and Forrest L. Wood called the action live on FOX during the 1999 Ranger M1 Millennium, the first time a bass fishing tournament appeared live on linear TV. The historic Nov. 7, 1999, broadcast reeled in more than 2 million viewers. The 2025 MLF Team Series heralds Rural Media Group’s return to live sports broadcasting, building on a legacy that once included over 600 live rodeo events annually.
“This partnership is a major milestone for Major League Fishing and for the sport of professional bass fishing,” said Jim Wilburn, President of Sales for MLF. “Our fans will now be able to watch live tournament action unfold on a national broadcast television network. RFD-TV’s reach and commitment to rural and outdoor programming make them the perfect partner to help us bring the excitement of the Team Series to more households than ever before.”
Raquel Gottsch Koehler, Chief Marketing & Creative Officer and Co-Owner of RFD-TV, sees the partnership as part of a broader mission.
“This is about more than live sports. It’s about honoring tradition while embracing what’s next,” Koehler said. “At RFD-TV, we’ve always been committed to amplifying voices and stories that too often go unheard, and the story of professional bass fishing is one of grit, strategy and relentless passion. We’re extremely proud that RFD-TV will bring that story live to a national broadcast audience.”
The 2025 MLF Team Series is made up of four Cups – the Challenge Cup (Aug. 24–29), Heritage Cup (Sept. 14–19), Patriot Cup (Oct. 22–27), and Summit Cup (Nov. 16–21) – each featuring six action-packed matches with Bass Pro Tour anglers paired in two-man teams. Designed for television, the format delivers nonstop action, dramatic swings, and SCORETRACKER® leaderboard shakeups that make for compelling live viewing.
Each live broadcast will be produced by MLF’s award-winning production partner, Winnercomm, in HD and delivered to RFD-TV, ensuring the same standard of excellence fans have come to expect from MLFNOW!® livestream coverage. RFD-TV will hold exclusive linear broadcast rights during the live airing window, while fans can also stream the final periods live on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps, RFD-TV Now, Game & Fish TV, and Rumble. MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MLF and MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) apps, and Rumble will stream the entirety of each event. Post-produced episodes of the Team Series will continue to air on the Outdoor Channel, Discovery and Vice.
The agreement also includes a dynamic mix of promotional support from both partners, including tune-in spots across MLF digital and linear platforms, dedicated features on RFD-TV’s Market Day Report and Rural Evening News, and a one-hour “MLF 101” special airing from RFD-TV’s Nashville studios in August.
“This collaboration embodies what’s possible when tradition meets innovation,” Wilburn said. “We’re not just broadcasting bass fishing – we’re elevating the platform for anglers, sponsors and fans alike, and we’re doing it together.”
For complete details and updated information on the MLF Team Series, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Major League Fishing:
Major League Fishing (MLF) is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, producing more than 250 events annually at some of the most prestigious fisheries in the world, while broadcasting to America’s living rooms on CBS, Discovery, Discovery+, Discovery GO, Animal Planet, Outdoor Channel, VICE, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network and Game & Fish TV, and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, the MLF roster of bass anglers includes the world’s top pros and more than 30,000 competitors in all 50 states and 20 countries. Since its founding in 2011, MLF has advanced the sport of competitive fishing through its premier television broadcasts and livestreams and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for bass through research, education, fisheries enhancement and fish care.
About RFD-TV:
Launched in 2000, RFD-TV is the flagship television network of Rural Media Group, Inc., and the only 24-hour network dedicated to serving the needs of rural America. An independent, family-owned and operated media network, RFD-TV features a mix of agribusiness reporting, equine programs, rural lifestyle shows, and traditional country music. The network produces more than six hours of live news every weekday state-of-the-art studios located on iconic Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee, and in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards in Texas. RFD-TV is available nationwide via DISH, DIRECTV®, AT&T U-Verse, Comcast, Charter Spectrum, and other major providers, as well as online at watchrfdtv.com and through RFD-TV Now, Roku, Firestick, Apple TV, and Sling TV.
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