Have you ever had the chance to look at the very first issue of Bassmaster Magazine? Many of you may be nodding your head to the affirmative, as B.A.S.S. members are a loyal and passionate bunch. If you haven’t, it’s an interesting piece of history to hold in your hands. The inaugural issue was published in the spring of 1968 and had only 24 pages. The content was rough around the edges, as B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott, admittedly the farthest thing from an editor, was responsible for cobbling it together. Most enlightening, the price for becoming a member of B.A.S.S. was advertised as $10 per year.
What did B.A.S.S. members get for $10 in 1968? Well, they received a subscription to the magazine, which was little more than a pamphlet at the time. They received a B.A.S.S. patch that could be sewn onto a windbreaker or coveralls, as well as the ability to fish in Scott’s fledgling tournament organization. Today, that sounds like a pretty good deal. However, would you pay $86.45 for that package? Probably not, but that is precisely what $10 was worth 55 years ago. Thanks, inflation.
Fast-forward to 2023. To become a B.A.S.S. member now, it costs $15. For that $15, you get an annual subscription to this magazine, a hat, tacklebag, rod cover, face covering, tips booklet, B.A.S.S. sticker, membership card and the ability to fish B.A.S.S. events. That’s about $50 worth of gear alongside the magazine. Best. Deal. Ever.
What’s more, I’m excited to announce that in the very near future, there will be even more value for B.A.S.S. members. Coming soon to Bassmaster.com, members will have their very own section of the site. Enter your member number to access this new section, and you will find a veritable gold mine.
This member section will house videos of every Bassmaster Classic that has been held. You can watch Bobby Murray hoist the first Classic trophy in 1971, then flip to Jason Christie’s epic win from last year. We are also digitizing a ton of The Bassmasters shows that aired on TNN decades ago. You will see the legends of the sport in their glory days introducing techniques and baits that are now commonplace. There will be behind-the-scenes videos created for members only, showing exactly how the sausage is made behind the biggest stage in bass fishing, as well as in-depth content from Elite Series anglers reserved specifically for B.A.S.S. members. As for fans of the written word, we will be adding every installment of the popular “Harry-N-Charlie” features published in this magazine, as well as a ton of other magazine pieces of historic consequence. The content will shine a bright light on the history of our sport while celebrating what is happening right now. And the cool thing for members is that there is nowhere else you will be able to get it. We are collecting it and creating it just for you.
Now, let’s add icing to this already delicious cake. In addition to the specialty content, we are partnering with our sponsors and advertisers to help you save money. There will be a very robust list of manufacturers that will be offering members-only discounts (up to 30% off). AFTCO, 13 Fishing and Black Rifle Coffee are just a few companies that are participating.
Now, let’s translate the situation in 1968 to today’s dollars. A $15 membership would have cost $1.75. The $50 in gear would have had a value of $430 in 1968. Add to that the money you will save through manufacturer discounts, and I’d say being a B.A.S.S. member right now is one of the precious few items in our life that has experienced deflation.