BENTON, Ky. (Jan. 25, 2024) – Major League Fishing (MLF) announced today the renewal of its global sponsorship with Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) via a 5-year extension that ensures the Texas-based automotive manufacturer will continue to serve as the Exclusive Vehicle and Mobility Sponsor of the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization.
"When we first entered a relationship with Toyota, Major League Fishing was confident that this would be an exceptional collaboration," said Jim Wilburn, MLF President of Sales. "The two organizations have similar corporate values and we are pleased with the direction this sponsorship has taken. As the Official Vehicle Sponsor, Toyota has gone above and beyond to help create an outstanding experience for our anglers and fans. We're thrilled to announce a continuation of this valued collaboration up to 2028."
The sponsorship renewal marks an extension of the four-year agreement that Toyota signed in 2020. Toyota will remain the title sponsor of the MLF Toyota Series, which showcases the top regional anglers from around the country competing close to home for incredible awards and to fish against the top MLF international anglers at the prestigious Toyota Series Championship and REDCREST. Those two premier MLF events feature $200,000 and $300,000 top prizes, respectively, and the most lucrative payouts in the sport. Toyota will also continue to offer the extremely successful and lucrative Toyota Bonus Bucks contingency program, the only truck contingency program that pays anglers to fish, to MLF competitors of all experience levels.
“We are very pleased to be continuing our relationship as the Exclusive Vehicle of Major League Fishing,” said Steve Appelbaum, National Manager, Sponsorship Integration for Toyota Motor North America. “Through this sponsorship with the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, Toyota will continue to showcase our vehicles to a very loyal, engaged and enthusiastic fanbase.”
Toyota has been the Official Vehicle Sponsor and title sponsor of the MLF Toyota Series since 2020. Toyota’s latest sponsorship of MLF builds on the company’s existing involvement in the world of bass fishing, with continued activations and family-friendly activities at select Bass Pro Tour events.
Toyota will have an extensive presence across all MLF media platforms, including tournaments and activations, website and social media channels, and MLF livestream and television programming on CBS, Discovery Channel, Outdoor Channel, World Fishing Network and on demand on MyOutdoorTV (MOTV). Toyota will also be prominently showcased as a premier exhibitor at the REDCREST 2024 Outdoor Sports Expo, March 15-17, in Birmingham, Alabama.
In addition to MLF, Toyota will also continue to sponsor Bass Pro Tour anglers Mark Daniels, Jr. and Terry “Big Show” Scroggins.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing, its tournaments, and sponsors, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF’s social media outlets at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM), creator of the Prius hybrid and the Mirai fuel cell vehicle, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota and Lexus brands, and directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America (more than 49,000 in the U.S.).
Over the past 65 years, Toyota has assembled nearly 45 million cars and trucks in North America at the company’s 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, the company’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.
Through our more than 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.), Toyota sold more than 2.4 million cars and trucks (more than 2.1 million in the U.S.) in 2022, of which, nearly one quarter were electrified vehicles (full battery, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell).
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 Channel, Outdoor Channel, CBS Sports Network, World Fishing Network 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 13 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.
