Tuesday, August 11, 2009
FLW Outdoors sues BRP/Evinrude for failure to pay
FLW Outdoors

MINNEAPOLIS — FLW Outdoors announced that it has filed a lawsuit in
Minnesota State Court against BRP/Evinrude for its failure to pay agreed
upon sponsorship fees for the entire 2009 FLW Outdoors tournament season.

"FLW Outdoors has had a long-term sponsorship and working relationship
with Evinrude as a premier sponsor of FLW Outdoors and its tournaments,"
said Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors. "In 2009, FLW Outdoors
received confirmation from Evinrude officials both in writing and
verbally that Evinrude had agreed to the continuance of their
sponsorship with FLW Outdoors at about the same level of sponsorship
fees for 2009 as they had in 2008."

Throughout FLW Outdoors' 2009 tournament season, Evinrude's
representatives and/or management have participated in all of FLW
Outdoors tournaments.

"FLW Outdoors has fully supported Evinrude's sponsorship throughout the
2009 FLW Outdoors' tournament season," Jacobs said. "Evinrude has
enjoyed all of the same contractual marketing commitments that FLW
Outdoors supported Evinrude with in 2008, including, but not limited to,
substantial onsite space for displaying and marketing their products at
all tournament locations; Evinrude engines installed on half of all FLW
Outdoors/Ranger stage and tournament boats throughout all tournaments;
signage throughout all FLW Outdoors tournament locations; television
commercials on all FLW Outdoors television programming worldwide;
magazine advertising; internet marketing and advertising; and
heavily-promoted Evinrude on all marketing materials and advertising as
part of FLW Fantasy Fishing, an international game worth $10 million in
cash and prizes. Yet Evinrude has refused to pay FLW Outdoors any of the
amounts it promised as consideration for those benefits."

Jacobs further stated, "Not only are we terribly disappointed in the
fact that Evinrude hasn't paid any of their agreed-upon sponsorship fees
for 2009, but they also haven't paid any of the committed contingency
dollars on behalf of their Evinrude Pro Staff anglers through the 2009
FLW Outdoors tournament season."

"FLW Outdoors has advanced on Evinrude's behalf almost $100,000 to those
Evinrude Pro Staff anglers who had cash commitments from Evinrude based
upon their performance this season. To date, Evinrude hasn't reimbursed
FLW Outdoors a single dollar for the money that FLW Outdoors advanced on
its behalf to the Evinrude Pro Staff anglers."

In nearly 15 years of business and tournament operations, FLW Outdoors
has never had to sue a single sponsor for failure to pay their
sponsorship fees.


- - -

Well, this is an odd case. We all know who Irwin Jacobs is, and that his
Genmar operation has been in bankruptcy. So, what's the financial
connection between Jacobs, Genmar, FLW and BRP/Evinrude, and is it in
play here?

Stay tuned...