Comparisons: Survivor vs. The Amazing Race
Not wanting to cover such a broad topic, I’m narrowing this down to their prizes.
First, let’s look at the facts.
Survivor
- $1,000,000 for winner, $250,000 for runner up, $125,000 for 3rd place and so on. Each player receives $10,000 for appearing on the reunion show. Approx. $2,000,000 handed out each season.
- $100,000 for “favourite” player voted by fans awarded by Sprint
- Cars and other prizes are sometimes also given away.
- Teams or Singular: Singular (prize money not split between people).
- Current season: 25. Current year: 12. Approx. 2 seasons per year.
- Ratings: fluctuated, but ultimately decreased from 28.3 to 11.64 (million).
The Amazing Race:
- Prior years: $1,000,000 for winning couple, $25,000 for runner up, $10,000 for 3rd place, and so on. Approx. $1,100,000 handed out each season.
- This year the winning couple has possibility of winning $2,000,000.
- Travel and other prizes awarded to winning team of each leg.
- Teams or Singular: Teams (prize money split between two people).
- Current season: 21. Current year: 2001. Approx. 2 seasons per year.
Now, let’s discuss.
Initially when I heard people would win $2,000,000 on The Amazing Race this season, I thought they had just doubled the prize money, because it’s a better incentive and why not? But it turns out that isn’t the case. THat is how they marketed it, but the winning team only doubles their prize money if they also were the winner of the first leg. It’s a great added bonus, but it would be really easy for that to be ended if that team were to be eliminated. If The Amazing Race was to make the prize money $2,000,000 without a catch, then wouldSurvivor be forced to make the same jump in prize money?
Personally, I love both shows (and would want to be on each) for different reasons. Survivor has the prize of being labeled the ‘sole survivor’ with a game of strategy and wits. The Amazing Race has involves lots of travel and adventure, with possible travel prizes along the way. I don’t find the money as a defining factor as to which show I would prefer to be on, it’s more the kind of adventure I would rather have.
Which show would you prefer to be on, and why?
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