Former FishOMania champion Harry Bignell has announced that plans for a new fishing event are underway. The Commercial King tournament introduces an innovative knockout-style format designed to maintain angler engagement from start to finish. Before launching the event, however, Harry is looking for feedback from the angling community to help shape the Commerical King’s payouts.
The Commercial King event aims to address perceived shortcomings in traditional angling competitions. Harry Bignell had this to say in the announcement post on Facebook:
I think too many events now are basically pointless for anglers who have a bad start and they are literally just turning up because they have to in festival circumstances and other events with that format.
To combat this issue, the proposed Commercial King format will see the number of participants halved after each round. The competition will start with a maximum of 60 anglers and culminate in a final of 8 competitors in the autumn.
This knockout structure is intended to maintain excitement and give all remaining anglers a chance of winning up to the very last round. As Bignell puts it, “If you get knocked out, you’re out,” emphasising the high-stakes nature of each round.
Two potential options for the event payout structure are being considered:
Commercial King Option One
- Entry fee: £200 per angler
- Maximum participants: 60
- Total prize pool: £12,000
- The final pot after pegging costs: £10,668
- Final payout (8 anglers):
- 1st: £4,000
- 2nd: £3,000
- 3rd: £2,000
- 4th: £1,000
Commercial King Option Two
- Entry fee: £200 per angler
- Maximum participants: 60
- Total prize pool: £12,000
- 16 anglers reaching round 3 receive £300 each (ensuring over 25% get their money back after 3 rounds)
- Final payout (8 anglers):
- 1st: £2,000
- 2nd: £1,500
- 3rd: £1,300
- 4th: £1,068
Both options include an additional £30 daily pool, with payouts for round winners and top framers. This adds an extra incentive for anglers to perform well in each round, even if they don’t make it to the final.
Bignell also stressed that this event is not affiliated with On The Flyer TV, stating, “I HAVE NOT bought On The Flyer TV – for anyone who thinks this is a spin-off event from that, this is just my own idea.” Instead, the event will be sponsored by Harry’ss new tackle company, details of which are forthcoming.
The Commercial King event represents a fresh approach to competitive angling, aiming to provide a more engaging and exciting experience. If you’d like to give any feedback on the potential new big-money event, head over to Harry’s Facebook post and share your thoughts.
As plans for the Commercial King continue to develop, anglers and fishing enthusiasts alike will be eager to see how this innovative format unfolds and whether it will indeed crown a new Commercial King in the world of competitive angling.