Roku is doubling down on its live sports strategy, securing exclusive streaming rights for Bassmaster professional bass fishing tournaments. The deal makes The Roku Channel the go-to streaming destination for these competitions, reinforcing Roku’s commitment to free, live sports content.
What’s Included?
Starting with the 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series on February 20, Roku will provide live coverage of various Bassmaster tournaments, including:
- The Elite Qualifiers (EQ) Series
- Five Bassmaster Open Series events, which serve as qualifiers for the EQs
- Coverage of all nine Bassmaster Elite Series events
- Friday coverage of the Bassmaster Classic
- A primetime production of the Bassmaster Classic Celebrity Pro-Am
Beyond live broadcasts, Roku will also offer replays, highlights, and additional on-demand content across The Roku Channel, Roku Sports Channel, and Roku’s Sports Zone. Additionally, a dedicated Bassmaster FAST channel is set to launch later this year.
Strategic Expansion for Roku Sports
This deal underscores Roku’s broader push into live sports. In addition to Bassmaster, Roku has secured rights for an exclusive Sunday morning MLB game, the X-Games, NBA G-League, Formula E, and talk shows like The Rich Eisen Show and GMFB: Overtime.
“It’s an honor to call Roku the streaming home of Bassmaster, an iconic brand with a decades-spanning history of producing best-in-class professional fishing tournaments,” said Joe Franzetta, Head of Sports at Roku Media. “We look forward to bringing these events for free to the passionate fanbase of this top outdoor sport, as well as introducing Bassmaster to new audiences.”
Bassmaster COO Phillip Johnson emphasized the exposure benefits of the deal, highlighting that it will bring the sport to millions of new viewers on Roku’s expanding platform.
The Take
Fishing might not be the flashiest sport in streaming, but Bassmaster has a cult following with devoted fans. The winner of the Bassmaster Classic takes home $300,000, and the tournaments feature intense competition as anglers battle time, weather conditions, and tricky fish to land the biggest catches.
For Roku, adding Bassmaster strengthens its ad-supported sports lineup, giving it a foothold in outdoor sports and expanding its reach to a dedicated audience. It’s another example of how FAST channels and free streaming platforms are reshaping how niche sports are distributed, making them more accessible to larger audiences.
