Upcoming TPiR pricing game changes

[Casey Buck]

According to ClockGameJohn over at golden-road.net, some of the small prize/grocery product pricing games which are currently played for bonus prize packages with a pre-announced price (such as Bonus Game, Cliff Hangers, Grocery Game, Secret X, Shell Game, etc.) will now be played for cash.

No details on how much the cash amount would be, or if the game will always be played for cash (or just occasionally).

[Dbacksfan12]

Suddenly, the Ludia game gained some authenticity.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'206663\' date=\'Jan 19 2009, 09:49 PM\']
Suddenly, the Ludia game gained some authenticity.[/quote]
I chortl'd.

[tvmitch]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'206663\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 12:49 AM\']
Suddenly, the Ludia game gained some authenticity.
[/quote]
Wouldn't mind playing Cliff Hangers for a cool $40K.

/$1600 a step

EDIT: I've heard that a lot of the mid-level prizes are given out as cash prizes to winners anyway...so is this more of a time-saving move by Price, then? I think it's a good move...of all the TV nowadays, I think that prize descriptions might be the least DVR-proof of them all.

[bandit_bobby]

I would have $5,000 offered in the following games on occasion: Bonus Game, Shell Game, Secret X, Hi-Lo,  & Cliff Hangers.

I would offer $10,000 sometimes in Grocery Game, and maybe $25,000 on Check Out.

[CarShark]

[quote name=\'mitchgroff\' post=\'206682\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 02:31 PM\']EDIT: I've heard that a lot of the mid-level prizes are given out as cash prizes to winners anyway...[/quote]Really? I thought that the reason we see some prizes more often (the $7213 Beachcomber spa, for instance) was because contestants forfeited them back to the show.

I don't know how to feel about this. One one hand, the contestants will be pleased, I imagine, and will display more energy than they would for a bedroom set or a grandfather clock. On the other hand, this does sort of feed into a thread I started before about the show focusing too much on cash and cars. On yet another hand, if it means that small prize games and grocery games that don't offer cash will get played more often, adding more variety to the game line-ups, then I would enjoy its occasional use. On still another hand, it makes me worry that the show is having trouble getting sponsored prizes, like they have with groceries for a while.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'mitchgroff\' post=\'206682\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 02:31 PM\']
EDIT: I've heard that a lot of the mid-level prizes are given out as cash prizes to winners anyway...so is this more of a time-saving move by Price, then?[/quote]I believe this applies to the prizes that aren't sponsored at all (computers, some appliances).  Better off giving the contestant cash and keeping just the one laptop "in stock", I guess.

John or someone else can correct me if I'm wrong.

[Steve Gavazzi]

I could easily be wrong here, but I've never heard of the show giving out a cash equivalent to a prize unless the prize suddenly became unavailable.

[chris319]

[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' post=\'206692\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 12:55 PM\']
I could easily be wrong here, but I've never heard of the show giving out a cash equivalent to a prize unless the prize suddenly became unavailable.[/quote]
Right. You win a spa, you get a spa, unless it is no longer available.

What is the average value of a Bonus Game/Grocery Game/Range Game prize? If they give away $10,000 - $25,000 every time one of these games is won, it's going to jack up the prize budget.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'206694\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 04:39 PM\']
What is the average value of a Bonus Game/Grocery Game/Range Game prize? If they give away $10,000 - $25,000 every time one of these games is won, it's going to jack up the prize budget.
[/quote]
From what I've seen, the Bonus and Grocery Games are probably between $2,500-5,000. Range Game, IIRC is anywhere from $7,500 to over $10,000...I'll let one of the more avid watchers confirm or deny...

[jmangin]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'206694\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 04:39 PM\']
What is the average value of a Bonus Game/Grocery Game/Range Game prize?
[/quote]
Season 37:
Range: $11,962
Bonus: $14,996
Grocery: $5,726
Overall: $9,874

Season 36:
Range: $10,475
Bonus: $12,150
Grocery: $10,416
Overall: $9,996

[MizzouRah!]

Maybe this could be the answer to speeding up the one bids...Rich: "It's a box of money"...Drew: "Okay, Ovarius, how much money is in that box?" No item description/sponsor necessary and they get right to the bids. Change up the money container(box, bag, coffee can, etc.) and you've got a real winner.
All kidding aside, this has a bad vibe about it, but I'll give it a chance. Opening up a little more free time is the one positive. I gave Drew a chance, originally liked what I saw and now it's just...'eh'. I listen while I do computer work but it's not appointment TV anymore.

[chad1m]

I really don't see a problem with this. As a contestant, I'd much rather go on a game show and win something I'd be able to keep ($5,000 - $7,500 cash) than something I can't (trip, large prize) because I can't afford the taxes.

[Fladam]

Slightly off-topic here... but in regards to the Ludia developed game, it's selling incredibly well on the Wii system.  

I would not be surprised to see a full-on sequel by year's end...

[chris319]

[quote name=\'jmangin\' post=\'206696\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 02:02 PM\']
[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'206694\' date=\'Jan 20 2009, 04:39 PM\']
What is the average value of a Bonus Game/Grocery Game/Range Game prize?
[/quote]
Season 37:
Range: $11,962
Bonus: $14,996
Grocery: $5,726
Overall: $9,874

Season 36:
Range: $10,475
Bonus: $12,150
Grocery: $10,416
Overall: $9,996
[/quote]
Playing armchair producer, you could play these for $5,000 each and it would be a nice take for the contestant.

Do you have stats for other games which are likely to be played for cash instead of prize(s)?