Sport Fishing Championship 2024: Exciting Playoff Debut & Expanded Markets Announced
Published: Saturday, March 23, 2024 12:00 pm
The Sport Fishing Championship (SFC) unveiled its 2024 competition schedule, featuring a mix of returning favorites and exciting new tournaments.
The season will conclude with the league’s first “win-and-advance” playoff format in offshore fishing.
In its third season, the SFC introduces two divisions of competition: Gulf and Atlantic. The top six teams from each division earn invitations to the 12-team, three-day winner-take-all Zane Grey Championship Playoffs, where over $1 million in prizes are at stake.
"Since SFC launched, the league has been working relentlessly to perfect a competition format that awards one champion for the sport of offshore fishing," Mark Neifeld, CEO & Commissioner said. "With the growth in stature of the SFC Billfish Championship and in collaboration with our league’s competitors and tournaments, we are proud to introduce the Zane Grey Championship Playoffs which will debut in 2024."
Similar to past seasons, teams competing for the Zane Grey Championship must qualify in their division by partaking in three qualifying events. Under the new format, the top six teams from each division progress to the playoffs. On the season’s ultimate day, four teams will compete head-to-head to crown a championship.
The open registration format for all qualifying events continues to provide amateur anglers with the chance to compete for the SFC Champion Fish Divisions. These competitions award $50,000 prizes in four categories: Bigeye Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna, Mahi-Mahi, and Wahoo.
"I cannot remember a more exciting time to be involved in competitive billfishing," Damon Sacco, Executive Director of the Atlantic
Division said. "The scale of SFC competition is so impressive, while the regionality of the divisions allows the league to preserve and celebrate local traditions passed down for generations in the sport."
The championship trophy and playoffs of the SFC are dedicated to Zane Grey, a legendary figure in the world of fishing. Grey set multiple world records, notably being the first to land a marlin weighing over 1,000 pounds. In recognition of his achievements, Grey was inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame's inaugural class in 1998
Here’s a look at the 2024 SFC schedule:
|
Date |
Tournament |
Division |
Location |
|
May 1 - 4 |
Hurricane Hole Louisiana Open |
Gulf |
Venice/Grand Isle, LA |
|
May 9 - 11 |
Salt Life Bluewater Tournament |
Atlantic |
St. Augustine, FL |
|
May 16 - 18 |
East Pass Challenge |
Gulf |
Destin, FL |
|
May 30 - June 1 |
Walker’s Cay Open |
Atlantic |
Walker’s Cay, Bahamas |
|
June 6 - 8 |
Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic |
Gulf |
Biloxi, MS |
|
June 13 - 15 |
Alabama Offshore Open |
Gulf |
Orange Beach, AL |
|
June 27 - 29 |
Bay Point Billfish Open |
Gulf |
Panama City Beach, FL |
|
July 10 - 12 |
Oak Bluffs Bluewater Classic |
Atlantic |
Martha’s Vineyard, MA |
|
July 18 - 20 |
Montauk Canyon Challenge |
Atlantic |
Montauk, NY |
|
July 24 - 26 |
Tri-State Canyon Shootout |
Atlantic |
Block Island, RI |
|
TBA |
SFC Billfish Gulf Championship |
Gulf |
TBA |
|
TBA |
SFC Billfish Atlantic Championship |
Atlantic |
TBA |
|
TBA |
SFC Zane Grey Championship Playoffs |
Championship |
TBA |
Select SFC tournaments will be broadcast on network TV and streamed on soon-to-launch SFC+. The broadcast schedule, dates/locations of the division championships, and date/host city of the inaugural Zane Grey Championship Playoffs will be announced shortly.
To learn more about the Sport Fishing Championship, visit www.sportfishingchampionship.com.
