Rigid Industries Titles Elite Falcon Slam

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Rigid Industries, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of high performance LED lighting products, will be the title sponsor of the second event of the 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series.

The Rigid Industries Falcon Slam will take place March 21-24 on Falcon Lake out of Zapata, Texas. The 101-angler Elite field will compete for a $100,000 first-place prize, an entry in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic and a title from the toughest competition circuit of professional bass fishing.

“The collaboration to align functional LED lighting that improves safety on boats, trucks and trailers with an organization that cares about their community and fan base the way B.A.S.S. does is an incredible opportunity that we’re extremely excited about,” said Dave Davis, director of sales for Arizona-based Rigid Industries.

“We are proud to have the Rigid Industries’ name and reputation paired with our premier tournament trail, the Bassmaster Elite Series,” said Bruce Akin, CEO of B.A.S.S. LLC, the Birmingham, Ala.-based company that owns and produces the Elite Series. “B.A.S.S. members and fans who have not had a chance to see the LED lighting products from Rigid Industries are in for a treat.”

As the Falcon Slam title sponsor, Rigid Industries will be featured in event coverage carried by all B.A.S.S. properties: The Bassmasters TV show on ESPN2 (the show will reair on ESPN Classic and on the Outdoor Channel), Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times magazines and Bassmaster.com.

The sponsorship is an extension of Rigid Industries’ foray into professional bass fishing. The company recently signed Elite pro Brandon Palaniuk to be on its “Torture Team.” Palaniuk’s truck and boat are wrapped to showcase the Rigid logo and graphics; the truck, boat and trailer are outfitted with 50 Rigid LED lights. Palaniuk is the 25-year-old from Idaho who jumped from amateur to pro in 2011 by winning the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship in 2010, and who went on to win a 2012 Elite event. Palaniuk will debut his new Rigid Industries wraps at his third consecutive Bassmaster Classic appearance this week, Feb. 22-24, in Tulsa, Okla.

In addition to its strong presence at the Falcon Lake event, Rigid Industries will also be on hand at the third Elite tournament of the 2013 season, the April 18-21 Ramada Quest on Bull Shoals Lake out of Bull Shoals, Ark. — where Palaniuk took his first Elite event win. Rigid Industries also will have a presence at a Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series event this season.

Established in 2001, Rigid Industries has become a world leader in the vehicular mounted LED Lighting Industry. Rigid LED Lighting Products can be used for Off-Road LED Lighting, Military LED Lighting, Agricultural LED Lighting, as well as Marine LED Lighting. Rigid Industries is committed to supporting its customers and the industries they work in by continuously developing new product lines to meet their needs. Rigid Industries now has design, customer service, sales and manufacturing headquartered in Mesa, Ariz. For more information, visit www.rigidindustries.com.

About B.A.S.S.

For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications — Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times — comprehensive website Bassmaster.com and ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, B.A.S.S. Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.