InTheBite's Captain of the Year presented by MTU, a Rolls-Royce solution

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For inquires, contact [email protected]

  • MTU powers the season-long championship across 83 sanctioned tournaments.
  • Five regional divisions. One champion.
  • Winners honored at the Marlin Awards, Palm Beach International Boat Show (PBIBS).

June 26, 2026 Jupiter, FL — InTheBite is excited to announce MTU, a Rolls-Royce Solutions business and one of the marine industry’s most respected propulsion brands, as the Presenting Sponsor of the InTheBite Captain of the Year championship program.

The partnership brings together two brands committed to recognizing excellence in professional sportfishing. For decades, MTU engines have powered many of the world’s premier tournament boats, earning the confidence of owners and captains who demand performance and reliability at the highest level of competition.

The championship spans 83 sanctioned tournaments across five regional divisions, recognizing the consistency, leadership and execution required to perform at the top level all season, not just a single win. 

“MTU has long been associated with many of the finest tournament boats in the world,” said Dale Wills, Publisher of InTheBite. “Captain of the Year celebrates the captains and crews who perform at the highest level, making MTU a natural presenting partner for the championship.

The partnership culminates at the annual Marlin Awards ceremony, where the InTheBite Captain of the Year Awards Presented by MTU will be presented to the season’s winning captains. Captains, owners, crews and industry leaders will gather March 17 at Sailfish Marina in Palm Beach Shores, Florida, during the Palm Beach International Boat Show to recognize the year’s championship performances.

“The qualities that define championship captains—preparation, consistency, and reliability—are the same qualities that have defined the MTU brand for generations,” Wills added. “We’re proud to welcome MTU as the presenting sponsor of the InTheBite Captain of the Year.”

For more information about the InTheBite Captain of the Year Presented by MTU, visit www.inthebite.com.

About The Marlin Group
The Marlin Group is the world’s largest big-game fishing network reaching more than one million captains, anglers, mates and boat owners annually across a variety of touchpoints. The group publishes Marlin, the industry’s No. 1 source since 1981, and InTheBite, the market leading magazine for sportfishing captains for more than 20 years. The Marlin Group operates the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica; Los Cabos Billfish Tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Scrub Island Billfish Series in the British Virgin Islands; Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series; the Bermuda Triple Crown; and the Marlin Global Challenge, making it the worldwide leader for international billfishing tournaments. Marlin Expeditions has led anglers on educational excursions to the globe’s top big-game fishing destinations for more than 20 years. The Marlin Group is a core division of the US-based outdoor adventure company Bonnier LLC.

Learn more at marlinmag.com , inthebite.com, and bonniercorp.com.

For Immediate Release
For inquiries, contact [email protected]

  • Matt Hickman to lead the group as new Managing Director
  • Krystal Loy to lead marketing across the portfolio as new Marketing Director

Winter Park, FL May 18, 2026  – Bonnier LLC today announced the appointments of Matt Hickman as Managing Director and Krystal Loy as Marketing Director of the company’s Motorsports & Outdoor Group, further strengthening leadership across one of the nation’s leading enthusiast event portfolios.

The Motorsports & Outdoor Group includes several of the industry’s most recognized consumer event brands, including Sand Sports Super Show, Off-Road Expo, Street Machine Nationals and Open Season Sportsman’s Expo.

In his new role, Hickman will oversee strategic direction, operations, revenue growth and long-term portfolio development across the group’s live events and enthusiast brands. Loy will lead audience development, digital marketing, event promotion and integrated marketing strategy across the portfolio.

“Matt and Krystal each bring deep experience in enthusiast-driven markets where community, experiential engagement and commercial execution all matter tremendously,” said David Ritchie, Bonnier CEO. “Matt has a long track record of building and scaling event brands, including many of the same franchises within this portfolio, while Krystal brings a modern, highly accountable approach to experiential marketing and audience growth. Together, they position the group extremely well for its next phase of growth.”

Hickman brings more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning consumer events, trade shows, enthusiast media and experiential marketing. Most recently, he served as EVP and Managing Director at THM Media, where he helped generate more than $8 million in new revenue while expanding the company’s experiential events platform.

Previously, Hickman spent more than 15 years at Bonnier Corporation and World Publications, ultimately serving as Senior Vice President and Managing Director. During that time, he oversaw many of the same enthusiast brands now operating within the Motorsports & Outdoor Group, including Sand Sports Super Show, Off-Road Expo and Street Machine Nationals.

“I’m excited to return to a portfolio and industry I know extremely well,” said Hickman. “These brands have passionate audiences, strong market positions and significant upside through experiential growth, sponsorship expansion and community engagement. I’m looking forward to working with the team to continue building on that momentum.”

Loy joins Bonnier from Pro-Stat LLC, where she led marketing strategy and execution for major trade shows and industry activations, including SEMA and AAPEX. She previously served as marketing director for Phoenix Investment Group’s Harley-Davidson dealership portfolio, overseeing experiential campaigns and event activations attracting more than 40,000 attendees.

“Bonnier’s Motorsports & Outdoor Group represents exactly the kind of enthusiast-driven platform I’m passionate about,” said Loy. “These brands have incredibly loyal communities and strong growth opportunities through integrated marketing, digital engagement and live experiences. I’m excited to help drive the next chapter of audience and revenue growth across the portfolio.”

The appointments come as Bonnier continues investing in the growth and modernization of its Motorsports & Outdoor Group, which serves highly engaged enthusiast audiences across off-road, powersports, automotive, hunting and outdoor recreation markets. The portfolio’s flagship Sand Sports Super Show recently set an all-time attendance record with more than 30,000 attendees in 2025, while Off-Road Expo recently underwent a major strategic repositioning through its move to Costa Mesa, California.

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About BonnierBonnier is an outdoor adventure company that fuels passion for big-game fishing, motorsports and hunting. In its Motorsports & Outdoor Group, Bonnier engages with more than a million outdoor enthusiasts annually through a nationwide series of experiential events, including the Sand Sports Super Show, Off-Road Expo, Open Season Sportsman’s Expo, Street Machine Nationals car shows, and professional watersports shows. Bonnier also owns The Marlin Group, the world’s largest big-game fishing network. As publisher of InTheBite and  Marlin magazine, the industry’s No. 1 source since 1981, The Marlin Group operates the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica; Los Cabos Billfish Tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Scrub Island Billfish Series in the British Virgin Islands; Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series; the Bermuda Triple Crown; and the Marlin Global Challenge, making it the worldwide leader for international billfishing tournaments. Bonnier is owned by Sweden-based Bonnier AB, a globally operating conglomerate with more than 200 years in publishing. Learn more at bonniercorp.com.

Patrick Sciacca

For Immediate Release
For inquiries, contact [email protected]

April 30, 2026 — The Marlin Group, publisher of Marlin magazine and the largest operator of international big-game fishing tournaments, today announced the appointment of Patrick Sciacca as Managing Director of its media activities.

Sciacca will spearhead strategic projects while also overseeing all aspects of media operations across Marlin and InTheBite, including editorial, sales and marketing, with a mandate to accelerate growth, deepen audience engagement and drive revenue across platforms. 

A well-known leader in marine media, Sciacca brings immediate credibility and impact to the role. He most recently served as Editorial Director and Group Publisher of the Yachting and Sailing Group at Firecrown, where he led content and sales strategy across six consumer media brands, developing new revenue platforms and executing multi-channel initiatives that expanded audience and engagement.

“Patrick is stepping into this role with zero ramp time,” said David Ritchie, CEO of The Marlin Group. “He knows this business, he knows this audience and he knows how to build brands that perform commercially. Just as importantly, he lives this lifestyle—he’s on the water, in the tournaments, part of the community. That combination is rare, and it’s exactly what we need as we accelerate into our next phase of growth.”

Sciacca previously spent more than a decade at Bonnier, where he rose from Deputy Editor to Editor-in-Chief of Yachting and later Editorial Director, leading one of the company’s most successful and profitable media brands. He also held leadership roles at Power & Motoryacht, helping pioneer early video and multimedia initiatives in the marine space, and has advised media, government and marine organizations as a consultant.

Beyond his professional experience, Sciacca is deeply embedded in the sportfishing lifestyle. A boat owner and U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain, he actively fishes tournaments each year and brings a firsthand understanding of the audience, culture and community that define The Marlin Group’s brands.

“This is the kind of role that doesn’t come around often,” said Sciacca. “To combine my professional experience with a lifelong passion for fishing and the marine lifestyle is incredibly meaningful. Marlin and InTheBite are powerful brands, and I’m excited to build on that foundation—expanding the audience, strengthening partnerships and delivering content that truly reflects the sport.”

Sciacca’s appointment marks another key addition to a strong and expanding team within The Marlin Group, underscoring the company’s continued growth and long-term commitment to leading the big-game fishing category across media, events and audience engagement.

###About The Marlin Group
The Marlin Group is the world’s largest big-game fishing network reaching more than one million captains, anglers, mates and boat owners annually across a variety of touchpoints. The group publishes Marlin, the industry’s No. 1 source since 1981, and InTheBite, the market leading magazine for sportfishing captains for more than 20 years. The Marlin Group operates the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica; Hawaii Marlin Tournament Series, Los Cabos Billfish Tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Scrub Island Billfish Series in the British Virgin Islands; and the Bermuda Triple Crown, making it the worldwide leader for international billfishing tournaments. Marlin Expeditions has led anglers on educational excursions to the globe’s top big-game fishing destinations for more than 20 years. The Marlin Group is a core division of the US-based outdoor adventure company Bonnier LLC. Learn more at marlinmag.com.

DRT Motorsports Sand Sports Super Show powered by RPM, Sept 18-20, 2026

For Immediate Release
For inquiries, contact [email protected]

WINTER PARK, FL. (April 8, 2026) — Bonnier LLC has announced RPM Powersports as the new Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 DRT Motorsports Sand Sports Super Show, marking an expanded partnership between the high-performance brand and the largest annual gathering in sand sports. The event will now be known as the DRT Motorsports Sand Sports Super Show powered by RPM and will return to the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif., September 18-20, 2026.

RPM is a leader in high-performance exhaust systems and accessories for Can-Am, Polaris, and other top manufacturers. Known for real-world performance and rider-driven design, RPM has become a trusted name in the side-by-side community and an established partner of the Sand Sports Super Show since first exhibiting in 2022.

“This partnership with RPM represents an exciting step forward for the Sand Sports Super Show and the entire community,” said David Ritchie, CEO of Bonnier’s Motorsports & Outdoor Group. “RPM’s commitment to innovation and performance perfectly aligns with the spirit of this event. Their involvement strengthens the experience for exhibitors and attendees alike and reinforces our position as the premier event in the industry.”

“Partnering with the DRT Motorsports Sand Sports Super Show is an incredible opportunity for RPM to connect directly with the off-road community we’ve built our business around,” said Jason Dickey, spokesperson from RPM. “We’re proud to power this iconic event and showcase how RPM products help riders push the limits of performance and adventure.”

Held annually, the Sand Sports Super Show attracts tens of thousands of enthusiasts and more than 400 exhibitors showcasing UTVs, ATVs, sand rails, performance parts, accessories, apparel, and the latest in off-road technology. For more than two decades, the event has served as the official kickoff to dune season—bringing together manufacturers, retailers, and riders for a three-day celebration of the sand sports lifestyle.

The 2026 DRT Motorsports Sand Sports Super Show powered by RPM will take place September 18–20, 2026 at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, Calif. Tickets and event information are available at www.sandsportssupershow.com.

The Sand Sports Super Show is part of Bonnier’s broader outdoor and motorsports event portfolio, which includes the Off-Road Expo, Street Machine Nationals, and Open Season Sportsman’s Expo.

About Bonnier
Bonnier is an outdoor adventure company that fuels passion for big-game fishing, motorsports and hunting. In its Motorsports & Outdoor group, Bonnier engages with more than a million outdoor enthusiasts annually through a nationwide series of experiential events, including the Sand Sports Super Show, Off-Road Expo, Open Season Sportsman’s Expo, Street Machine Nationals car shows, and professional watersports shows. Bonnier also owns The Marlin Group, the world’s largest big-game fishing network. As publisher of Marlin magazine, the industry’s No. 1 source since 1981, The Marlin Group operates the Offshore World Championship in Costa Rica; Los Cabos Billfish Tournament in Cabo San Lucas; Scrub Island Billfish Series; and the Bermuda Triple Crown. Bonnier is owned by Sweden-based Bonnier AB, a globally operating conglomerate with more than 200 years in publishing. Learn more at bonniercorp.com.

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