Operation Bass is expanding beyond fishing with a new name, a new TV series, a new magazine and a new Web site targeted toward America's 77 million outdoor enthusiasts. The Gilbertsville, Ky.-based operation from now on will be known as FLW Outdoors.

"FLW Outdoors is more than a name," Irwin L. Jacobs, chairman of FLW Outdoors, said in a statement. "It embodies a wholesome way of life that we support. We are 100 percent committed to competitive fishing, which has been the cornerstone of our organization, but as FLW Outdoors our audience expands beyond the 55 million Americans who fish, to more than 77 million Americans who enjoy a variety of outdoor activities."

Along with the name change comes new tournament enhancements for 2002. They include a $1.6 million increase to purses, five new Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League divisions, and cash awards for a greater percentage of anglers in each EverStart Series event. Overall, in 2002, FLW Outdoors plans to award up to $22 million to its tournament participants through the $5.1 million Wal-Mart FLW Tour, $2.8 million EverStart Series, $6.4 million Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, $1 million Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail, $2.9 million Wal-Mart RCL Walleye Circuit and $3.6 million Ranger M1.

For the first time in the history of outdoor programming, FLW Outdoors will bring live coverage of all seven Wal-Mart FLW Tour events, the BFL All-American and Ranger M1 to 84 million households on PAX TV. There also will be 18 live in-studio broadcasts during the 27-week series, which debuts Jan. 19 and continues every Saturday at 3 p.m. (EST), 2 p.m. (CST) and 3 p.m. (PST). FLW Outdoors will include in-depth features on fishing stars, and other personalities and experiences from the outdoor sports world.

"We are committed to more marketing and promotions for all FLW Outdoors properties than any other network that has previously televised FLW tournaments," Bill Scott, PAX TV president of programming, said in a statement.

FLW Outdoors magazine (formerly Bass Fishing) debuts in January with a new format but the same detailed tournament coverage. As FLW Outdoors, the magazine will be expanded to include more bass and walleye angler personality profiles, technique tips, and features focusing on boating, camping, hiking and other outdoor activities. The magazine will be featured in select Wal-Mart stores with distribution in more than 2,600 Wal-Mart stores slated for later in 2002.

"Our goal is to make FLW Outdoors magazine the largest outdoor publication in North America, through expanding our membership base and our exclusive distribution agreement with Wal-Mart," Jacobs said.

A new look, new departments and easier navigation are some of the enhancements planned for the FLW Outdoors Web site, FLWOutdoors.com. Outdoor enthusiasts can register for tournaments online, check tournament results and angler profiles, and read the FLW Outdoors e-zine. Starting Jan. 2, Wal-Mart FLW Tour fans visiting the site can register to win $1 million in the Conseco Fishing Challenge.

"As FLW Outdoors, we will take the development of outdoor sports into a new era," Jacobs said. "We will provide real-time, family oriented programming that portrays outdoor activities in highly entertaining formats. We are going to fill a void in outdoor sports coverage, and we are confident that, along with Wal-Mart and our other FLW Outdoors sponsors, we will drive viewership and participation in outdoor activities to new heights."

FLW Outdoors was founded as Operation Bass in 1979. Jacobs purchased the organization in 1996.