Nashville is reeling in one of the biggest paydays in professional bass fishing this fall, as The Champions - a five-day world championship - drops anchor Oct. 28 to Nov. 1, 2026, on Old Hickory Lake at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville. Organizers are putting $3.25 million in prize money on the table and say the winner will walk away with roughly $1.25 million, which they are billing as the largest single payout in bass fishing history. The tournament will mix three days of elite on-the-water competition with a multi-day fan festival, live music, and a large-scale expo.
The field will be stacked. The Champions is set to bring together the top 25 anglers from the Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series and the top 25 from Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour for head-to-head battles, with media day and expo activations planned at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. As reported by WSMV, the tournament format features three competition days wrapped in family programming and live entertainment tied to weigh-ins at Sanders Ferry Park.
World Bass Enterprises has tapped local partners Go West Creative and Cumberland Hospitality Group to run production and on-water logistics, with Excel Sports Management in the executive producer role. In coverage from The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, WBE founder Brian Bird said, “We’re excited to partner with local experts Go West Creative and CHG…[they] will make ‘The Champions’ a truly world-class and unforgettable event.”
NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss is also jumping into the boat as an ambassador for the inaugural tournament, partnering with WBE on event promotion and his new fishing series, organizers announced. In its announcement, World Bass Enterprises quoted Moss saying he “can’t wait for The Champions this fall in Nashville,” and noted that WBE will present Moss' upcoming show.
Who's Coming
The invite list is tight: just 50 anglers, with the top 25 from each major tour qualifying, and that process is already underway. Industry outlet The Bass Cast lists Drew Gill, Hank Cherry Jr., Fisher Anaya, Takahiro Omori and Zack Birge among the first five automatic qualifiers. That level of early buy-in from elite pros backs up WBE's pitch that it is out to crown what it calls a true world champion.
Fan Fest And Expo
For fans, organizers are promising a sprawling footprint: a 150,000-square-foot expo, multiple daily music acts, a three-day fan festival at Sanders Ferry Park, fireworks and a ceremonial flyover. World Bass Enterprises also says a pro-am on Nov. 1 at Percy Priest Lake will pair the top 15 anglers with celebrities and local legends, while VIP hospitality and media activations will be centered at Gaylord Opryland.
Country Rebel reported that Grammy-winning country singer Lee Greenwood is slated to perform during the opening ceremonies on Oct. 28 and will sing the national anthem on Oct. 29. Country Rebel included that detail in its June coverage of the announcement.
Organizers say ticketing information, broadcast plans and additional programming details will roll out in the months ahead, and local hospitality businesses and vendors are already prepping for a busy late October. WSMV notes that more specifics on tickets and broadcast information will be announced at a later date.
