A 2017 ABC Game Show starring Steve Harvey that took crowdfunding to a literal level. The game is basically a cross between Shark Tank and Let's Make a Deal; representatives of two companies come out on stage to pitch and present a product they need additional funding for (and inevitably getting Steve to joke about it and/or demonstrate it where applicable). The Studio Audience then votes for which product they are more interested in, which receives a cash prize (which can range from $10,000 to $100,000 depending on the match-up).
However, before the result is revealed, the two contestants are given an opportunity to "cash out" instead; they are presented with a series of cash values that are lower than the round's prize, and can either wait to see if the next offer is higher, or press a bail-out button to take it as guaranteed money. If no one takes any of the offers, the game just continues to the results. If someone does take the bailout but wins the vote, they do not win the bigger prize.
Steve Harvey's Funderdome did receive some notoriety prior to its premiere, when hackers leaked 8 episodes of the series to torrent sites after Disney did not give into their extortionate demands (they had also leaked season 5 of Orange Is the New Black earlier in the year). There was relatively little interest in the leak, given that (in contrast to the aforementioned Orange leak), a mundane summer game show isn't really something that a leak would be damaging for.
Although the ratings were decent, ABC decided there was life beyond the funderdome ,and did not renew it for a second season (electing to move To Tell the Truth into its Sunday Fun & Games block for 2018 alongside Celebrity Family Feud and The $100,000 Pyramid instead).
This series provides examples of
- All or Nothing: One of the pitches will receive the cash prize (be the whole or partial amount if they cashed out) while the other will receive nothing. With the exception of one of the contestants cashing in and it's revealed the other won the vote.
- Downer Ending: The aforementioned scenario about taking the bailout but winning the vote anyway actually did happen in an episode.
- Game Show Host: Harvey.
- Know When to Fold 'Em: The "Cash Out" option allows one of the contestants to take some money for their project rather than to risk it. As Harvey explains, "some money is better than no money".
- Spin-Off: Given that Shark Tank producer Mark Burnett is involved, it is pretty much one.
