When did the U.S. television show Shark Tank first premiere?

Shark Tank premiered in the United States on August 9, 2009.

The ABC reality series gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to present businesses and products to a panel of wealthy investors, known as the Sharks. Contestants seek investment in exchange for equity, royalties, or another negotiated arrangement.

The program is the American adaptation of the Japanese format Money Tigers and is closely associated with the international Dragons' Den franchise. Mark Burnett helped develop the U.S. version, which became one of ABC's long-running unscripted programs.

The premiere date is sometimes confused with the show's earlier development and production period. Shark Tank was announced and produced before its first broadcast, but August 9, 2009, is the date the U.S. series officially debuted on television.