FLW, the world’s leading tournament fishing organization, announced today that Ranger Boats, one of America’s most iconic brands, has signed a multi-year contract extension as the exclusive boat sponsor of FLW and their premier tournament trails, which include 191 events in 2011.

The tournament-fishing landscape changed dramatically on July 24, 1996, when Jacobs purchased a little-known bass-tournament organization in the small town of Gilbertsville, Ky., renamed it FLW Outdoors after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, and signed major corporations as sponsors for the world’s most lucrative bass-tournament circuit — the FLW Tour. Ranger Boats, a longtime partner and supporter of tournament fishing, has supported FLW since its inception, making this their 16th year as the official boat of FLW.

“To have Ranger Boats demonstrate this type of commitment says a lot about their dedication to being the premiere bass and walleye boat manufacturer in the world,” said FLW chairman Irwin Jacobs. “FLW and Ranger Boats have been together since the beginning and we have enjoyed growing together and making professional bass and walleye fishing the exciting and marketable products they are today.

“Ranger Boats’ innovations are the perfect vehicle for today’s tournament anglers and offer unmatched safety and design features for recreational anglers while being tough enough to stand up to the rigors of life on the FLW Tour,” Jacobs added. “We couldn’t be happier that Ranger Boats has chosen to extend this partnership.” As part of the sponsorship, Ranger Boats will retain exclusive exposure across all platforms of FLW, including its tournaments, FLW’s multiple websites, FLW Outdoors Magazine and various FLW events.

“We have such a tremendous history with FLW,” said Ranger Boats President Randy Hopper. “From the very first tournaments we’ve shared a vision dedicated to the growth and conservation of the sport of fishing. Our Ranger Cup contingency program continues to deliver the highest rewards to Ranger owners across the country and we’re fortunate to have been a part of so many advancements and opportunities in angling over the years. We look forward to even more exciting things to come as we continue to grow together with FLW.”

ABOUT RANGER BOATS Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation’s largest manufacturer of premium fiberglass fishing boats, which include series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.

ABOUT FLW FLW is the best in fishing, on and off the water. Anglers worldwide can compete for millions over the course of 191 tournaments in 2011. FLW has taken fishing mainstream with the world’s richest fantasy sports game, FLW Fantasy Fishing presented by Straight Talk, where competitors can play for free as well as sign up for Player’s Advantage to gain an edge. For more information about FLW and FLW Fantasy Fishing, visit FLWOutdoors.com or FantasyFishing.com.