Months after its massive boat-maker acquisition, Polaris Industries announced a strategic partnership with tournament organizer Fishing League Worldwide (FLW).
Terms were not disclosed.
"The partnership leverages both companies' consumer base, market presence and industry expertise, and will include collaboration across the organizations," Polaris officials said in a statement.
Medina-based Polaris, with $5.4 billion in annual sales, makes off-road four-wheelers, motorcycles, snowmobiles and in July purchased the pontoon and boat maker Boat Holdings LLC for $805 million. The deal was Polaris' largest acquisition.
The partnership with FLW could be a marketing coup. The 20-year-old Boat Holdings, makes 200 types of pontoon, deck and cruiser boats under brand names such as Bennington, Godfrey, Hurricane and Rinker. Those products range from $14,000 to $150,000.
The Fishing League, which is based in Benton, Kentucky with offices in Minneapolis, conducts 286 televised bass-fishing tournaments worldwide, including the United States, Canada, China, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Portugal, South Africa, and Spain.
The league also publishes FLW Bass Fishing Magazine, so its outreach is considered robust.
Bob Mack, president of Polaris' Adjacent Markets & Boats said the partnership is a wise move. "With recreational fishing being a popular and growing sport in the U.S., this strategic partnership allows us to leverage insights and more deeply engage with FLW's networks, fishing consumers, and outdoor enthusiasts across the globe to promote our products and brands," he said.
