Shark Tank Is Losing Its Way According To Fans, And They Aren't Wrong

Summary

Fans love Shark Tank's heartwarming moments, but wonder if the show is losing its authenticity with entrepreneurs seeking big paydays.
Mark Cuban's departure signals changes ahead, while fans hope the show returns to featuring genuine ideas from struggling entrepreneurs.
Overexposure and new shark additions have caused ratings struggles, but the show's ability to evolve and adapt keeps fans interested.

Fans have seen it all on Shark Tank over the years. Even Kevin O'Leary, with actual tears listening to certain pitches. The show can tug on the heart strings of fans and at the same time, it has a great sense of adapting with the times.

Still, fans want more all these years later. Over on Reddit three months ago, a user debated the show's legitimacy today, and why they stopped watching. The user wasn't alone, as several other former viewers admitted to scaling back on the show as well. There seems to be one common problem among fans, and it'll be interesting to see if Shark Tank and ABC can adapt.

Let's take a closer look at what the fans are saying, and the issues Shark Tank faced in prior years, especially in terms of a viewership downfall which took place in 2016.

Fans Think Shark Tank Is Losing Its Image Due To Entrepreneurs Only Appearing On The Show For A Big Pay Day

Hard to believe that Shark Tank has been on the air since 2009, 16 seasons. The series has been a force for ABC since. They saw a minor slip up in ratings back in 2016. However, since then, the show remains among the top, with massive numbers for ABC.

The longevity and impact of the show certainly deserves praise. Though fans do sense the show has changed, and more changes are expected to take place in the near future. Mark Cuban plans on leaving at the end of the next tapings for the upcoming season. Given that the shoot takes place during the summer, Cuban is keen on spending more time with his family. His contributions won't be forgotten, especially behind the scenes. When Mark came onboard, he played a major part in saving entrepreneurs from losing extra equity. Shark Tank initially had a rule of taking equity from a company just for appearing on the show and getting exposure. Cuban felt as though this would limit the companies that would appear, and he wasn't wrong. The change was needed, and we are thankful that it took place.

Still, fans do see flaws from the show. Three months ago on Reddit, a fan argued over the integrity of the casting over the years. The general sense is the current Shark Tank entrepreneurs are just looking for a big payout more than anything else.

The Reddit user argues, "I just started the most recent episode and I stopped after Marie Striver/Son Patrick to write this. I just feel like... these people COME FROM MONEY. I could maybe give them the benefit of the doubt and say maybe they had them on for the awareness aspect of it but like come on. I feel like them pitching a company when they come from money, rather than business who are struggling/actually need the money/don't come from wealth. Idk, I don' think I'm off base, theyve been slowly inching this way for a while now and having them on was them not even pretending/having the mask on anymore. Just my two cents."

Fans did agree with the post, but also identified that the Sharks and ABC are aware of who is there for the right and wrong reasons.

"This surprised me as well, but the showrunners are pretty good at hearing feedback and adjusting I think. Remember those terrible T-Mobile ads they used to do mid-pitch? Mark said that all the Sharks hated doing that, and I haven’t seen them since."

Shark Tank has some controversial behind the scenes moments, including Daymond John filing a restraining order against past entrepreneur, Al Baker.

Another user wrote, "Yeah. I'm not a person who agrees with Daymond when he says the carpet is there for people who are running struggling businesses and I don't mind when someone who's fairly successful comes on. But this felt off the second they walked in."

For the most part, other fans are hoping that the concerns will be heard for future seasons. The goal is to go back to its origins, bringing in exciting ideas from entrepreneurs that are seeking legitimate partners, and not some huge score.

Robert Herjavec Feels Like Shark Tank Suffered Due To Overexposure

Back in 2016, Business Insider suggested Shark Tank was losing viewers. Ratings were down 15% from the prior season. Making matters worse, the demo was among adults under the age of 50 that were flipping the channel. Robert Herjavec addressed the issue and made a valid point. The Shark felt as though overexposure hurt the show.

Robert Herjavec remains one of the most beloved sharks on Shark Tank, and has an estimated net worth of $300 million.

Shark Tank's cast Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, and Lori Greiner — Mark Cuban, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, and Lori Greiner on the red carpet

"After eight seasons, the challenge for us is the show's always on the air now. And so it's hard to have a new premiere when CNBC is playing it 88 times a day, 24 hours every single day. And so I think what we find is that the ratings tend to open a little soft and then build throughout the season."

Shark Tank listened to the decrease in ratings, and attempted to change things by bringing in new sharks. For Herjavec, this just caused more issues.

"We're trying all kinds of things," Herjavec said. "We had six sharks this year, which is impossible to get a word in. We changed seats sometimes. I actually sat next to Mark and Kevin for a while. But it's really the pitchers. It's the ingenuity of the businesses. After eight seasons, I'm seeing businesses that are more exciting than ever before."

Daymond John also spoke about the rating decrease, feeling as though new technology also played a role - evolving with the times was the key, according to the shark. The show did manage to turn things around, with a massive spike in ratings. Though fans are hoping for another evolution in the future.

Shark Tank season 16 premieres October 18, 2024.