Ludington Offshore Classic Update
Written by Greg Houtteman   
Sunday, 03 October 2010 15:31
The Ludington Offshore Classic committee and the Ludington and Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce are making some changes to their rules to provide improved quicker resolutions of future protests.  In a joint statement

http://www.ludingtonoffshore.com/event-informantion/general-rules

“Following a review of the 2010 Ludington Offshore Classic Tournament, the Ludington Offshore Classic Tournament Committee ("Committee") has proposed, and the Ludington & Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce ("Chamber") Board of Directors has adopted the following rule which will pertain to all future tournament entries:

  • The Tournament Committee reserves the right to decline entry or participation by any person, team or boat as deemed necessary to ensure such things as integrity, image, reputation, financial performance and community relationship with sponsors, participant and supporting groups.
  • A formal review of the tournament rules is underway and all rules for the 2011 tournament will be posted following their adoption.  The following processes have already been adopted.  Please continue to visit the website for further updates.
  • All participants must sign their application agreeing to all rules, terms, and conditions.
  • Participation also binds you to all rules, terms, and conditions.
  • Separate protest committees will be established to handle future protests; comprised of Am participants for Pro entrants and Pros for Amateur entrants.
  • All protest decisions will be made and finalized within a specific (TBD) timeframe from protest receipt.”
In interviews with the involved parties the rule review process and rules changes that have been made are in direct response to the events that occurred in the 2010 Pro Division relating to protests filed against Best Chance Too.  The rules and processes that existed previously broke down due to a number of factors.  In an effort to address those factors the tournament committee is going to establish, prior to the 2011 tournament, independent protest review panel s for both Pro and Am Divisions as stated above.  This will structurally change the way protests are handled because the 2010 events protest review broke down in part because two of the captains involved in filing protests were also members of the tournament committee creating a conflict of interest within the committee itself.

In an effort to resolve the protest the Chamber of Commerce and Best Chance Too met after the final day of the tournament and Best Chance Too offered to withdraw from the 2010 tournament, relinquish the trophy, and return winnings.  “Best Chance Too offered to withdraw and we accepted” said Kathy Maclean, President/CEO Ludington and Scottville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Best Chance Too has also “agreed not to return the Ludington Offshore Classic,” added Kathy, “and that they (Best Chance Too) would wait until they were invited back before returning”.  

The tournament has also explicitly declared, in their rule changes, the right to refuse any team’s entry to all future Ludington Offshore Classic tournaments.  “We have similar rules for other events that we host in Ludington and have exercised them in the past” stated Kathy.

“The volunteers are sacrificing a week and weekend in July to staff and support the tournament” noted Kathy, and the Chamber is trying to make sure that future Ludington Offshore Classics reward that effort with an event that is fun and accommodating for all participants, teams, and visitors.

Educated Angler will continue to monitor the rules development process and see what the futures holds for the 2011 Ludington offshore Classic and beyond.

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