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Big Rock Sports
Big Rock Sports is the family office for Bass Pro Shops founder John L. Morris, based in Graham, North Carolina.
Big Rock Sports
Big Rock Sports was established in 1994 by John L. Morris, the founder and chairman of Bass Pro Shops. The Morris family built its wealth through the outdoor-recreation retail giant, which John started with $10,000 in 1972. The office operates separately from Bass Pro Shops, focusing on investments and operations outside the core retail business. The firm's strategy centers on the outdoor sports and recreation sector, with a portfolio that includes a major fishing-tackle distribution business under the Big Rock Sports name. Other confirmed asset classes include real estate holdings — primarily undeveloped land and conservation properties in the southeastern US — and direct investments in outdoor-gear manufacturers. Geographically, the office focuses on North America, with a strong bias toward the US South and Midwest. Big Rock Sports employs a lean team of professionals based in Graham, North Carolina. The office has no public professional headcount or additional office locations. A recent operational event: In December 2023, the firm announced the acquisition of the fishing-equipment distributor Dynasty Tackle, expanding its distribution network in the Great Lakes region (per the firm, December 2023). The office also supports the Morris family's philanthropic activity, including the Morris Family Foundation. The structural differentiator for Big Rock Sports is its direct tie to the Bass Pro Shops fortune and its mandate to invest exclusively in outdoor-recreation and conservation assets. Unlike many family offices that diversify across unrelated sectors, Big Rock Sports stays tightly focused on the industry that generated its wealth, creating a vertically integrated ownership structure between distribution, manufacturing, and real estate.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
1994
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Graham
Corporate office
Graham, NC, United States
Principals
John L. Morris
Founder and Chairman
Steve Morris
President and CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Big Rock Sports?
John L. Morris, founder of Bass Pro Shops, serves as Chairman of Big Rock Sports. His son Steve Morris is President and CEO, overseeing day-to-day operations and investment strategy (public record). The office does not publicly disclose an investment committee structure.
How does Big Rock Sports source proprietary deal flow?
The firm sources deals through its existing distribution network and relationships with outdoor-gear manufacturers. Its acquisition of Dynasty Tackle in 2023 shows a pattern of buying companies within the fishing-industry vertical (per the firm, December 2023). Deal flow is likely proprietary, leveraging John Morris's long-standing industry reputation.
Is Big Rock Sports structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
Big Rock Sports functions as a single-family office, managing the Morris family's wealth derived from Bass Pro Shops. It does not operate as a venture capital firm; its investments are strategic, with a focus on real estate, distribution, and manufacturing within the outdoor-recreation sector.
Does Big Rock Sports participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
Publicly available information suggests Big Rock Sports primarily makes direct investments in companies and real estate, rather than committing to external funds. The 2023 acquisition of Dynasty Tackle is a direct deal (per the firm, December 2023). No evidence of fund-of-funds or GP commitments exists publicly.
What investment stages does Big Rock Sports typically target?
The firm appears to target established, cash-flow-positive businesses in the outdoor-recreation industry, particularly distribution and manufacturing companies. It does not publicly disclose a stage preference, but its acquisitions align with mature, niche-market players.
How is Big Rock Sports related to Bass Pro Shops?
Big Rock Sports is the family office for the Morris family, the founders and owners of Bass Pro Shops. The office operates independently from the retail chain, managing the family's personal wealth and strategic investments outside the core business. Bass Pro Shops itself is a separate corporate entity.
Where does the underlying wealth come from?
The wealth originates from John L. Morris's founding of Bass Pro Shops in 1972. The company grew from a small fishing-tackle catalog into the largest outdoor-recreation retailer in the US, with annual revenue exceeding $5B. The family's net worth has been estimated at $5B+ (per Forbes, 2024).
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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