Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament

What Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament does

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is a 501(c)-style nonprofit organization founded in 1957 in Morehead City, North Carolina, that operates a portfolio of competitive offshore billfishing tournaments and ancillary revenue lines. Its flagship event, the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, ran its 68th annual edition in June 2026 with 278 boats competing for a record $9,038,225 total purse; the organization also runs the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament (the world's largest ladies-only billfish event) and the Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament (a junior release tournament), all unified since 2025 under the Big Rock Triple Crown championship series. Supporting products include the Big Rock mobile app (live leaderboard scoring and real-time boat/angler tracking via Reel Time Apps registration integration), Big Rock TV (live weigh-in broadcasts reaching 2+ million viewers in 71+ countries), and the Big Rock Store (year-round branded merchandise retail, both physical and online at thebigrockstore.com).

The organization generates revenue through three primary streams: tournament entry fees (multi-tier with Level I mandatory and Levels II-VI optional calcuttas; full all-level entry was $27,500 in 2021), corporate sponsorships at multiple tiers (with Jarrett Bay Boatworks as presenting sponsor, plus Linda Rike Real Estate since 1998, Bailey's Fine Jewelry, Kurtis Chevrolet, and others), and retail merchandise sales. Charitable giving is channeled through the Big Rock Foundation, which contributed a record $2 million to Eastern North Carolina nonprofits in 2025, bringing cumulative donations to nearly $14 million since 1986. Distribution is hybrid: online and walk-in registration, in-person and online retail, and free public weigh-in events at the Big Rock Landing waterfront venue. The organization is led by Executive Director Madison Struyk, President Casey Wagner (since 1985), and a 19-member Board of Directors, with a small professional staff of 11-50 supplemented by extensive volunteer infrastructure.

Name

Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament

Legal name

Big Rock Tournament

Website

https://thebigrock.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is a Morehead City, NC nonprofit operating three annual offshore billfishing tournaments (Big Rock, Keli Wagner Lady Angler, Big Rock Kids) unified by the Triple Crown series, serving competing boat owners, anglers, and corporate sponsors, with proceeds channeled through the Big Rock Foundation to Eastern North Carolina charities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sport Fishing Tournament Events

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Event & Tournament Sponsorship (Title/Presenting Sponsors, Official Suppliers) (MPAKALAB)

Keywords

• Sport fishing tournaments
• Billfish competitions
• Offshore fishing events
• Tournament management services
• Charitable sportfishing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Morehead City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Tournament Entry Fees: Boats pay entry fees to participate in the tournament across multiple levels (Level I mandatory, Levels II-VI optional). Entry fees for all levels in 2021 were $27,500.
2. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors at various levels (Major Sponsor, Presenting Sponsor, Diamond, Blue Marlin, Event, etc.) provide financial support in exchange for brand visibility during tournament week and across marketing channels.
3. Retail Sales: The Big Rock Store sells branded merchandise including apparel, accessories, and tournament memorabilia both in-store and online year-round.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament organization runs annual competitive offshore billfishing tournaments (the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament, the Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament, and the Big Rock Triple Crown championship series) out of Morehead City, NC, with multi-million-dollar purses. Boats pay tiered entry fees (Level I mandatory, Levels II-VI optional calcuttas) to compete, while the organization sells branded merchandise year-round through the Big Rock Store and broadcasts coverage through Big Rock TV. Tournament proceeds flow to charitable causes via the Big Rock Foundation, which has contributed nearly $14 million to Eastern North Carolina organizations since 1986.

Product overview

Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament is a nonprofit fishing tournament organization operating as a portfolio of four distinct tournament brands: the flagship Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament (the main blue marlin competition with record-breaking prize purses), the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament (the world's largest ladies-only billfish tournament), the Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament (a youth-focused release tournament), and the Big Rock Triple Crown Series (a cross-tournament championship). Supporting these core tournaments are the Big Rock App for live mobile scoring, Big Rock TV for streaming coverage, the Big Rock Store for retail merchandise, and the Big Rock Foundation for charitable giving. The organization hosts its main event in Morehead City, NC each June with the Keli Wagner tournament in early June and Big Rock Kids in July.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Big Rock Foundation: The charitable arm of all three tournaments (Big Rock, Keli Wagner, Big Rock Kids) that distributes funds to charities in education, healthcare, community improvement, and conservation.
• Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament
• Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament
• Big Rock Triple Crown
• Big Rock Big Hero
• Big Rock TV

Products and services

• Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament Annual flagship blue marlin fishing tournament held in Morehead City, NC, featuring competitive offshore billfishing with prize purses exceeding $9 million and attracting 278 boats in 2026. Boats pay mandatory Level I entry plus optional Levels II-VI calcutta divisions to compete for weighed blue marlin, release, and gamefish prizes. The flagship tournament of the Big Rock portfolio.
• Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament Ladies-only billfish tournament held under the Big Rock umbrella, recognized as the largest ladies-only billfish tournament in the world. Named in honor of the late Keli Wagner, with proceeds supporting Carteret Health Care's cancer clinic. Features competitive offshore fishing divisions for female anglers.
• Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament

Quantifiable outcome

• $9,038,225 paid out across 278 boats in 2026 tournament
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Paragon Custom HomesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 January 2026Presenting sponsor of the 29th Annual Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament. The partnership marks Paragon Custom Homes' expansion into Carteret County, bringing their luxury custom homebuilding philosophy aligned with the tournament's mission and legacy.
• Jarrett Bay BoatworkscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor and boat builder. In 2026, five Jarrett Bay boats won 72.5% of the entire $9M+ purse ($6,553,188), with the 63' Jarrett Bay MARLIN FEVER accounting for 99% of those winnings at $6,513,188.
• Kurtis ChevroletmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor of the Big Rock Kids Billfish Tournament since its inception in 2021, supporting youth sportfishing and children's charities.
• Bailey's Fine JewelrymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Big Rock Triple Crown series, providing custom-designed championship rings for Triple Crown winners.
• Linda Rike Real EstatecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiamond Sponsor and Official Real Estate Sponsor since 1998, Big Rock's longest-running sponsor helping clients find homes along the Crystal Coast for over 40 years.
• Pimp Shrimp Clothing Co.majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Big Rock Big Hero program honoring active duty servicemen and women through offshore fishing experiences.
• Reel Time AppscoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing the online registration platform and tournament management software including the Big Rock mobile app for live scoring.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal PlainscoreOthersPrimary beneficiary of the Big Rock Kids Tournament. Received $150,000 in 2025 for construction of new Beaufort facility plus $35,000 for programs and day-to-day operations.
• Carteret Health Care Cancer CentercoreOthersCore charity recipient receiving support from the Keli Wagner Lady Angler Tournament. KWLA has donated over $500,000 to date helping provide comfort items for cancer patients.
• 34 North RestaurantminorOthersRecommended restaurant partner at The Beaufort Hotel offering brunch and happy hour for tournament visitors.
• NC Billfish SeriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the North Carolina Billfish Series connecting Big Rock tournaments with other regional billfish competitions.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament: Long-running Pacific blue marlin tournament held in Kona, Hawaii. Comparable to Big Rock as a multi-decade blue marlin competition with international team participation and significant purses.
• Virginia Billfish Tournament: Annual billfish tournament held out of Hampton, Virginia, as part of the Mid-Atlantic billfish circuit. Comparable to Big Rock as a regional blue marlin event with ties to the broader NC Billfish Series.
• White Marlin Open: Annual offshore big-game fishing tournament held in Ocean City, MD, and widely considered the largest billfish tournament in the world by purse. Directly comparable to Big Rock as a competing blue-water billfish event with a multi-million-dollar payout and similar sponsor-driven model.
• Blue Marlin World Cup: Global one-day virtual blue marlin tournament linking partner tournaments worldwide. Comparable to Big Rock as a top-tier blue marlin event with international media reach and premium brand positioning.
• Bisbee's Black & Blue Marlin Tournament: Premier blue marlin tournament held annually in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with purses exceeding $3M. Most directly comparable to Big Rock in terms of blue marlin focus, international draw, and luxury sponsor ecosystem.
• Los Sueños Signature Triple Crown: Three-leg billfish tournament series held at Los Sueños Resort & Marina in Costa Rica. Directly comparable to Big Rock's Triple Crown series structure with multi-event championship scoring across billfish tournaments.

Emerging players

• Pelagic Rockstar Tournament: Invitation-only offshore tournament hosted by Pelagic in Costa Rica with significant purses. Comparable to Big Rock in targeting elite teams and luxury sponsors in the offshore billfish space.

Others

• Marlin Magazine: Industry publication covering offshore big-game fishing and tournament news. Comparable to Big Rock as a media partner that awarded it 2025 Tournament of the Year and shares the sportfishing audience.
• Catch Statistics (formerly Gray FishTag Research): Sportfishing data and tournament analytics platform. Comparable to Big Rock's Reel Time Apps integration given shared exposure to billfish tournament operations and angler tracking.

Regional players

• Sport Fishing Championship: Organizer of professional saltwater fishing tour events across the U.S. Comparable to Big Rock in operating competitive saltwater fishing circuits with sponsor-driven revenue, though with a different competitive format.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/bigrockbluemarlin
• Facebookfacebook.com/bigrocktournament
• Instagraminstagram.com/bigrocktournament
• Xx.com/bigrockfishing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament