Shark Tank won its first Primetime Emmy Award in 2012.
The U.S. business reality series received the award for Outstanding Reality Program during the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards. The recognition came after the show had established its format of entrepreneurs presenting companies to a panel of investors.
Shark Tank later became a particularly successful awards contender in the structured reality category. Its appeal combined negotiation, business education, product demonstrations, and the possibility of a life-changing investment.
The year 2012 refers to the program’s first Primetime Emmy win, not the year the series premiered. Shark Tank first aired in the United States in 2009, so the award arrived several seasons into its run.