Does $1 million appear to be an underwhelming reward for the participant who outwits, outplays, and outlasts on Survivor? And would possibly the CBS competitors collection up the ante for its upcoming fiftieth season?
The Hollywood Reporter poses these questions in an article about actuality TV prizes and inflation. When Survivor premiered, the present’s $1 million award went lots additional than it does at the moment — $1 million now’s value $534,850 in 2000’s shopping for energy, in line with Bureau of Labor Statistics knowledge cited by THR.
Different community TV actuality competitions, then again, have raised their prize quantities — High Chef‘s jackpot has gone from $100,000 to $250,000, for instance. However Survivor has caught to its $1 million prize for each season however Season 40 a.ok.a. Winners at Struggle, when the quantity was doubled.
On streaming TV, in the meantime, the payouts are sometimes a lot bigger. Beast Video games contestants vied for $10 million, and co-creator and host Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson even referred to as out different actuality competitors’s lesser prizes.
“I needed to throw a little bit diss on the regular exhibits,” he mentioned in a behind-the-scenes video, per THR. “A $1 million greenback grand prize? … I gave away $1 million within the first minute and 42 seconds. That is establishing dominance.”
All of that mentioned, $1 million is life-changing cash, and the money comes with Survivor‘s immaterial advantages, a supply near the present informed THR. “$1 million continues to be some huge cash — greater than many different exhibits provide — for what’s a lifetime alternative for these lucky to take part,” the supply mentioned. “The cash isn’t the one motivating issue — the life expertise and private development is a giant driving pressure for individuals who audition.”
On Reddit, some followers assume Survivor ought to provide extra. “I believe that the winner of Season 50 ought to get $2,000,000,” one Reddit person opined in a latest thread. We already know Survivor 50 will let followers vote for sure gameplay components; maybe the prize quantity shall be one in every of them.
However different followers say $1 million is ample. “No thought what planet individuals are dwelling on or what privilege they should assume proper now in 2025 that $1 million isn’t a life-changing sum for the overwhelming majority of Individuals,” one Reddit person wrote.
Survivor, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS