Shark Tank is back, but it may never be the same. ABC’s Emmy-winning business-themed series returns for its 17th season this week, albeit with two big changes: longtime shark and billionaire Mark Cuban is no longer one of the five investors on the show, and it will no longer air on Friday nights at 9:00 pm ET. Beginning this week, Shark Tank moves to its new time slot of Wednesday nights at 10:00 pm ET.
Season 17 welcomes back returning shark investors Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Daniel Lubetzky, and Kevin O’Leary, but will also feature more guest sharks than any other season, according to ABC. Guest shark investors this year include Allison Ellsworth, co-founder of prebiotic soda brand Poppi; Chip and Joanna Gaines, co-founders of the lifestyle brand Magonlia; Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, jewelry entrepreneur Kendra Scott; television host and former NFL star Michael Strahan, Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey co-founder Fawn Weaver, and venture capitalist Rashaun Williams.
Wednesday night’s season premiere will feature actor and comedian Pete Davidson pitching the sharks on the sock company DoubleSoul, which asked for $500,000 for just 4 percent of the company. “I got sent DoubleSoul a couple years ago, and I had to meet the team, and I wanted to be involved immediately,” Davidson says during his pitch, which ABC shared in a teaser video for the upcoming season.
Other businesses that will pitch the sharks this season include cookie brand Don’tWorry, egg-cleaning device maker GoodEgg, fruit pops brand Hundy!, snack brand Im’peccable Chicken, football tailgating game QB54, and pillow company Snorinator.
Business that have secured investments on Shark Tank have generated more than $11 billion in retail sales, according to ABC. The popularity of the show has even led to many scam advertisements falsely claiming that products have been endorsed by the sharks or attracted deals on the show. The official list of products that have appeared on the show can be found here.