Where Is Shark Tank Filmed?
For years, home audiences have gotten a glimpse into the cutthroat world of entrepreneurship thanks to "Shark Tank," and after a variety of startup companies have attempted to take things to the next level on the Emmy-winning series, it's no secret the show has proven to be a worthwhile investment for viewers. High-stakes pitch sessions, game-changing business proposals, and ruthless investor negotiations have continued to captivate fans. And after so many seasons, some might like to know exactly where all the magic happens.
Viewers may have noticed that throughout its illustrious run, the sets have changed a few times, and it's pretty clear to avid watchers that the show hasn't shot in one place the entire time. While some may think it takes place in some fancy penthouse suite, the majority of "Shark Tank" episodes have been shot on a set. The series started at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, and most seasons have been filmed at that location. But the series has also utilized Stage 24 at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, for the 14th season, where the show had its first-ever live broadcast.
But when it came time to film the 12th season, the COVID-19 pandemic made shooting in California a non-starter, which forced the show to take its talents to Nevada. The reality series set up shop at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, which prevented "Shark Tank" fans from missing out on any entries, and the savvy business move was all thanks to the efforts of one shark.
Mark Cuban helped bring Shark Tank to Sin City
Any successful enterprise will often experience several unexpected obstacles, and a good entrepreneur knows how to navigate through a crisis, no matter what challenges arise. Fortunately, "Shark Tank" has several skilled titans of industry on the payroll, and one of them had an ace up his sleeve to help solidify a safe landing for the reality series in Sin City during the pandemic.
When it came to securing a new site for production, the shark who helped save the day was Mark Cuban. After evaluating multiple locations, Cuban's connection tipped the scales in favor of Las Vegas. "Mark Cuban had a relationship with Patrick Dumont at The Venetian Resort Group ..." executive producer Clay Newbill said in an interview with Deadline. "We looked at several other locations, and after speaking with George [Markantonis] and the team at The Venetian Resort, it was far and clear the best option. The Venetian Resort was able to provide us with — we felt at the time — the safest possible route, or plan, for taping the show."
But despite the location switch and safety protocols to keep the show from getting shut down, the program's caliber didn't change. "We feel like the quality didn't suffer at all. Yes, there's some changes to the set and we made some concessions ..." executive producer Yun Linger said to Deadline in 2022. "But really the content of the show and the spirit of the show was unchanged."
Cuban's years of experience and networking helped "Shark Tank" survive and thrive at a very turbulent time. Even with the world in chaos, a shark will always find a way to secure its next meal or, in this case, deal.