Shaquille O’Neal is the second former athlete to have a TV game show canceled abruptly.
ABC’s trivia game show “Lucky 13” premiered in July 2024, and was co-hosted by O’Neal and Gina Rodriguez.
ABC agreed to pay out more than $460,000 to contestants after the production company behind the game show declared bankruptcy.
Deadline reports that the Disney-owned network decided to make sure contestants received the prize money they are owed – even though ABC was not legally obligated to pay out.
A UK-based production company, Studio 1, paid “Lucky 13” production expenses up front in exchange for a share of ABC’s advertising and product placement sales.
But the game show had low ratings in America. After revenue fell far short of expectations, the game show was not renewed for a second season.
Two companies set up by Studio 1, Lucky 13 Holdings and Studio 13 Entertainment, declared bankruptcy and went under.
Hosts O’Neal and Rodriguez, as well as prize winners, were not paid after Studio 1 declared bankruptcy.
13 contestants were owed prize money totaling $461,500, with individual prizes ranging from $3,750 to $125,000.
ABC paid everyone even though the network was not obligated to do so.
Last November, Studio 1 CEO Adrian Woolfe told Deadline: “We are in the process of taking proactive protective steps to restructure the Studio 1 business and to unlock and protect the value of the now-proven Lucky 13 IP.
Last week, retired Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade’s game show “The Cube” was canceled after he revealed his kidney cancer diagnosis.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Wade said he underwent surgery in 2023 and had 40% of his right kidney removed.
Wade shared the symptoms he experienced before he was diagnosed with kidney cancer.
He said, aside from stomach issues and cramps, he wondered why his urine stream was “weak.”
“Why is my piss coming out slow, why is my stream ain’t powerful? Why is it a little weak?” he said.
Wade underwent an MRI imaging test that confirmed a cancerous tumor in his right kidney.
He is currently in remission.
