HISTORY OF THE IFBBA
(INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF BLACK BASS ANGLERS)
1995
THE IFBBA WAS CREATED AND OFFICIALLY WENT INTO OPERATION
ON NOVEMBER 9TH, WITH 8 MEMBERS!
THE RANGER BOAT COMPANY BECAME OUR FIRST CORPORATE SPONSOR
SHIMANO AMERICAN CORPORATION AND BASS PRO SHOPS FOLLOWED! RANGER WAS A SPONSOR
UP UNTIL 2000!
1996
ON MAY 19-20TH ON STOCKTON LAKE, AND OUT OF ORLEANS TRAIL RESORT AND MARINA! THE
ORGANIZATION HIT THE 100 MEMBER MARK AT THAT TIME, AND HELD IT’S FIRST NATIONAL BASS
TOURNAMENT!
THE IFBBA JOINED THE AMERICAN SPORT FISHING ASSOCIATION,
THE FISHING INDUSTRY TRADE ORGANIZATION.
THE SECOND IFBBA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT WAS HELD SEPT 21-22, ON LINN VALLEY LAKE IN LA
CYGNE, KANSAS
1997
OUR RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN PAYS OFF WITH THE FIRST ARTICLE EVER ON A AFRICAN AMERICAN
IN BASS MASTERS MAGAZINE MARCH ISSUE. THEY INTERVIEWED ARTHUR BRONSON, IFBBA
PRESIDENT/CEO. OVER 3000 PHONE CALLS WERE MADE TO THE B.A.S.S. OFFICE WHEN PEOPLE
HAD SEEN THE ARTICLE!
THE IFBBA BEGAN DEVELOPING TOURNAMENTS ACROSS THE USA! 4- DIVISIONS WERE CREATED.
DIVISIONAL COORDINATORS WERE DEVELOPED!
IN DECEMBER, THE IFBBA HAD 1000 MEMBERS NATIONWIDE! INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT
STRATEGY GOES INTO MOTION.
1997-98
THE IFBBA PRESIDENT WAS CONTRACTED OUT FOR BLACK AMERICAN OUTDOORS TV SHOW AND
TOURNAMENT TRAIL TO BE THEIR NATIONAL MARKETING DIRECTOR. PLANNED AND EXECUTED
THE NATIONAL BAO CLASSIC! NEGOTIATED WITH THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA,RANGER
BOATS AN K-MART FOR OVER $200,000.00
1998
THE IFBBA HAD DEVELOPED 25 PLUS NATIONAL SPONSORS !HAD TOURNAMENTS IN TEXAS,
ARKANSAS, ILLINOIS, CONNECTICUT AND ALABAMA
1999
THE IFBBA HAD INCREASED IT’S MEMBERSHIP UP TO 2000 MEMBERS! INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS
HAD JOINED THE IFBBA FROM CUBA, SPAIN, ITALY, AND MEXICO!
1999—PRESENT
THE IFBBA AS INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AND COORDINATE THE KID’S FISHING DERBY FOR THE
ANNUAL FISHING AND HUNTING DAY THAT THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
HOSTS EACH YEAR.
2000
TRITON BASS BOAT COMPANY JOINS THE IFBBA CORPORATE SPONSOR GROUP
2001
THE IFBBA SPONSORS IT’S FIRST FISHERMAN SPORT AND SWAP SHOW AT PENN VALLEY
COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 27 EXHIBITORS, THE TWO DAY SHOW AVERAGE
AROUND 1000 PEOPLE A DAY!
2002
THE IFBBA HAS BEEN DEVELOPING THE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP BLACK BASS TOURNAMENT
SERIES WITH SEVERAL COUNTRY’S SPORT FISHING AFFILIATIONS.
2003
THE IFBBA SHIFTED IT’S FOCUS AND CONCENTRATED ON MAKING THE STABOR NATIONAL CRAPPIE
TOURNAMENT A SUCCESS IN MAY ON TRUMAN LAKE. WE ALSO COORDINATED THE WEIGH-IN , THE
KIDS FISHING DERBY!
THE IFBBA SPENT A WEEK WITH THE CUBAN SPORT FISHING FEDERATION IN APRIL, WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY WILL BE THE FIRST HOST COUNTRY FOR THE FRIENDSHIP SERIES
TOURNAMENT AT LAKE HANABANILLA IN LAS VILLAS, CUBA FOR THE 2004 SEASON.
2004
THE IFBBA WAS INVITED TO THE ALL STAR INTERNATIONAL CUP BASS TOURNAMENT IN MARCH IN
JOHANNESBURG ,SOUTH AFRICA, ON THE VAAL RIVER! 3-TEAMS FROM THE IFBBA PARTICIPATED.
AFFILIATES FROM 12 COUNTRIES HAVE JOINED THE IFBBA, BRINGING IT’S MEMBERSHIP TO OVER
105,800 MEMBERS WORLD WIDE !
2005
THE IFBBA HELD IT'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY AND 3RD INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP SERIES
TOURNAMENT APRIL 20-24,2005 ON LAKE OF THE OZARKS AT RUNAWAY 2 RESORT. 23 TEAMS
PARTICIPATED, FOUR OF THEM FROM THE COUNTRIES OF MEXICO, CANADA, SOUTH AFRICA AND
ITALY !
THE IFBBA ALWAYS FISHIN'
