Big Money on Old Hickory: $3.25 Million Bass Championship Comes to Hendersonville
Nashville is set to host one of the richest events in professional bass fishing this fall. The Champions, a five-day world championship, will take place October 28 through November 1, 2026, on Old Hickory Lake at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville. Organizers have put up $3.25 million in total prize money, with the winner expected to take home roughly $1.25 million — billed as the largest single payout in the sport's history. The event pairs three days of elite competition with a multi-day fan festival, live music, and a large-scale expo.
The field will be loaded. The Champions brings 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 competition, with media day and expo activities planned at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. The format centers on three competition days at Sanders Ferry Park, wrapped in family programming and live entertainment tied to the daily weigh-ins.
World Bass Enterprises has brought on local partners Go West Creative and Cumberland Hospitality Group to handle production and on-water logistics, with Excel Sports Management serving as executive producer. WBE founder Brian Bird has pointed to the value of pairing those local experts with Excel's big-event experience to deliver what he expects to be a world-class production.
NFL Hall of Famer Randy Moss is also coming aboard as an ambassador for the inaugural event, partnering with WBE on promotion and on his new fishing series, which WBE will present.
Who's coming
The invite list is small — just 50 anglers, with the top 25 from each major tour earning spots, and qualification is already underway. Early reporting named Drew Gill, Hank Cherry Jr., Fisher Anaya, Takahiro Omori, and Zack Birge among the first automatic qualifiers. That early commitment from top pros reinforces WBE's goal of crowning what it considers a true world champion.
Fan fest and expo
For spectators, organizers are promising a big 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. A pro-am on November 1 at Percy Priest Lake will pair the top 15 anglers with celebrities and local legends, while VIP hospitality and media activities will be based at Gaylord Opryland.
Country music will feature as well: Grammy winner Lee Greenwood is slated to perform at the opening ceremonies on October 28 and sing the national anthem on October 29.
Ticketing details, broadcast plans, and additional programming are expected to be announced in the months ahead, and local businesses and vendors are already preparing for a busy late October.
Source: Hoodline, reporting by Ethan Taylor.
