Pro Sportfishing League and NFL Superstars Team Up with Denison Yachting to Broadcast Competitive Sportfishing on CBS

Up until recently, saltwater fishing tournaments have not been aired on network TV.

But that’s all changed now that The Catch, presented by Fritos, recently brought NFL superstars and world-class saltwater fishermen together to compete for a $100,000 grand prize on CBS.

Viewers enjoyed the action that was broadcast live from chase boats like the SŌLACE 32CS Denison Yachting provided for the event. And better still, they got to see some of the NFL’s biggest stars competing off Miami Beach.

Using the Sport Fishing Championship league’s billfish catch-and-release scoring system, The Catch featured four teams in head-to-head competition. In the end, Team Gypsea, comprised of SFC angler Taylor Sanford and NFL teammates Matthew Judon and Dalvin Cook, won the made-for-TV competition. Better still, Team Gypsea earned a $100,000 donation to the Coast Guard Foundation, provided by Cheniere Energy.

“These NFL guys are so coachable; they did an incredible job on this boat,” said Sanford. “We weren’t sure we were winning right until the end, and I knew we had to push it the whole way. I like winning and now we get some motivation to start our journey north as the [SFC] season gets underway.”

“I had an amazing time; I loved it,” said Judon. “I thought it would be easy, but it’s a pretty good workout, and I think we gained a lot of appreciation for every fisherman that’s out there.”

“The action of The Catch from start to finish was intense,” said Mark Neifeld, CEO and commissioner of the SFC. “We made history as the first fishing tournament to broadcast live from the sea, and all the participants did a fantastic job. It’s clear they had as much fun on the water as we did watching from shore.”

The Catch was broadcast live from four boats, four chase boats, and numerous helicopters. It sets the stage for the 2023 SFC Billfish Championship, which will have 88 hours of live tournament coverage across its 12 tournaments on CBS Sports Network, with the season kicking off at the CNSD White Marlin Tournament in Punta Cana, DR on April 27.