When news broke over the summer that Shark Tank was moving to Sunday nights, it was a bit of a shock to the system for many fans. The show, now entering its ninth season with a two-hour premiere episode, has been quietly airing on Friday nights for eight years. Even though reruns air regularly on CNBC throughout the week, the Friday night Shark Tank was for many a beloved habit.
So, why change? It turns out that fans can blame the revival of another beloved (or once-beloved) reality show: American Idol , at least in part. According to a new article in Adweek , ABC had to find room in the schedule for Idol’s return, so a few shows got shuffled around. The theory was that if Shark Tank went to Sunday nights, loyal viewers would simply follow.
Andy Kubitz from ABC Entertainment told Adweek that Shark Tank is just one of those programs that doesn’t have to be locked into any one particular timeslot.
“ Shark Tank is very versatile. It can move around the schedule easier than many scripted shows, and that could also be why it went there.”
But, true to the often strange and complicated world of television programming, it wasn’t as simple as moving Shark Tank to Sundays to make way for Idol . In fact, ABC executives aren’t even sure where Idol is going yet, according to the Adweek article. But they started with the singing program and then looked at the rest of the schedule to figure out where the pieces would fit.
As it stands, each day of the week on ABC has a certain theme. Mondays are reserved for Dancing with the Stars and The Bachelor/The Bachelorette. Dramas air on Thursdays, with comedies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
But there was no place for Once Upon a Time and Marvel: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. where those programs could find an audience. According to Kubitz, Sunday nights are competitive in television land, with shows going head-to-head with football and special events like the Oscars.
So Once and Marvel got the quiet, stable spot on Friday nights, which meant Shark Tank needed to find another home. Unlike other shows, Shark Tank seems to have an audience that will find it whenever it’s on.
It seems to be true that audiences who love the show can’t get enough of Shark Tank . A New York Times editorial from earlier this week stated that the show sometimes airs in seven-hour blocks on CNBC. It’s on so frequently that viewers begin to fancy themselves armchair sharks who know best what products are worth the investment and for which potential investor.
“Armchair shark” is a game viewers can begin with all-new episodes starting Sunday, October 1, on ABC, with a two-hour season premiere. As for the rest of the season, it’s still unclear where Shark Tank will eventually end up, but reality fans may be witness to an American Idol and Shark Tank double-header in the coming months.
[Featured Image by Noam Galai/Getty Images]