The Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Classic will return to Fort Worth in 2025, returning four years after setting an attendance record for any Classic previously held in the state.
The Fort Worth Sports Commission will host the tournament and festivities at the Fort Worth Convention Center and Dickies Arena from March 21–23, 2025. Competition will take place on Lake Ray Roberts in Denton.
“We are extremely excited to welcome back the Bassmaster Classic and all the amazing anglers and fans to Fort Worth for an experience that they won’t soon forget,” said Jason Sands, executive director of the Fort Worth Sports Commission.
Fort Worth and Lake Ray Roberts hosted the event in 2021, drawing 147,197 fans as North Carolina pro Hank Cherry became the fourth angler to win the event in back-to-back years. The annual Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo at the Fort Worth Convention Center will offer attendees deals on the latest fishing tackle and outdoors accessories from more than 200 exhibitors.
“There was a lot of uncertainty in the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic the last time we visited Fort Worth — so much so that we had to move it to June instead of holding it in March,” said B.A.S.S. Chief Executive Officer Chase Anderson. “But the city of Fort Worth was so great to work with and the people in Texas came out and still made it one of the most exciting Classics we’ve ever had. … Now, we’re really looking forward to going back to this fantastic venue during the time when the Classic is traditionally held.”
The 2024 Classic will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in March. According to numbers released by Visit Knoxville, the 2023 Bassmaster Classic generated an estimated economic impact of more than $35.5 million for the Tennessee community as the event was later recognized as Best Professional Event at the 2023 SportsTravel Awards luncheon during the TEAMS Conference in The Palm Beaches, Florida.