A curious comment from the Dob

[JasonA1]

The only items TPIR gets promo fees from are sponsored groceries & small prizes. Before they switched to cash for Contestants Not Appearing on Stage, I believe some (all?) consolation prizes were part of that arrangement as well. Roger has said on FB that near the end of Bob's run, it was $1,000-$1,200/plug, which naturally helped their budget quite a bit.

My understanding of the modern arrangement on other prizes is 1 prize = 1 plug. So if Broyhill supplies a dining room set, that dining room is now TPIR's until they give it away. They're not making money on it, and Broyhill isn't looking for it to come back. Cars are now paid for by the show as they're won.

-Jason

[Denials]

It seems to me that some people (both here and even more at G-R) are mixing up two potentially very different things:

1) Whether Fremantle as a production company is making money off the current version of TPiR, and

2) Whether CBS as a network is making money off of TPiR as a programming choice

It's possible the answer could be yes for one but no for the other.  I realize there has been talk about CBS covering some salary which could blur the (what would usually be more clear) line here.

However, I believe it is much more likely that the answer is yes to both as they are both enterprises.  I don't think Roger has provided enough information to suggest otherwise, and I find it difficult to imagine Fremantle accepting a loss on the program unless they're making a lot of money licensing other versions, etc. and are wiling to accept break-even or a small loss to protect that income stream.

[Steve Gavazzi]

Giving away one $100,000 car just means giving away 4-5 fewer "regular" cars somewhere else. Publishers Clearing House sponsored a week of $20,000 bonuses in pricing games, which likely works like Wheel sponsorships - PCH is footing that bill (perhaps up to a certain number of wins).

Assuming this year's PCH week worked like the past ones (and it's possible it didn't -- I'm behind on watching right now), I don't think "up to a certain number of wins" would factor in -- it's set up so that exactly $20,000 is given away each day to the first person who wins their game.

[nowhammies10]

Assuming this year's PCH week worked like the past ones (and it's possible it didn't -- I'm behind on watching right now), I don't think "up to a certain number of wins" would factor in -- it's set up so that exactly $20,000 is given away each day to the first person who wins their game.

This is how it worked this season too.  First winner of the day gets a $20,000 bonus.

[ChrisLambert!]

My unfounded theory is that if TPIR started losing money, LMAD would still be cancelled first.

[Jeremy Nelson]

It doesn't help that fans constantly post on his wall encouraging him to vent his frustrations.

Meh, he brings some of that on himself- he isn't obligated to answer every question about the show that's posted, and there are times where he unnecessarily pivots into a rant about the state of the show on his own.

He could very well be right about the money, but his need to complain about everything in this regime takes away any faith I have in him giving an objective answer on the issue.

[BrandonFG]

It doesn't help that fans constantly post on his wall encouraging him to vent his frustrations.

Meh, he brings some of that on himself- he isn't obligated to answer every question about the show that's posted, and there are times where he unnecessarily pivots into a rant about the state of the show on his own.

He could very well be right about the money, but his need to complain about everything in this regime takes away any faith I have in him giving an objective answer on the issue.

Agreed. I'm sure he was aware of the G-R fanbase, but now he's got an audience who not only agrees with him, but hangs on to every word. I'm sure he loves the fact that people still remember him so fondly.