Shark Tank vs Dragon's Den
In both shows, brave contestants enter the stage and present their ideas to the panel of judges. They are critiqued on their ideas, presentations, personal attributes, and sales informations. The concept for both shows are nearly identical, however, there are notable difference throughout. The first difference is that on Shark Tank, the producers have already spent the time looking into the backgrounds of the entrepreneurs so the sharks already have an understanding on the individual's history before the pitch. On the other hand, Dragon's Den does not do this and the show is focused more on the deal itself. Another difference is the variety of pitches. Canada has three sectors: energy, commodity, and financial services so many of the pitches fall under one of the three categories. However, the U.S. has ten sectors and this is what gives the Shark Tank pitches more diversity. Another difference is that Shark Tank deals are often larger than the Canadian ones. America is a technology based economy and entrepreneurs are often more adventurous. Adding this to the fact that the American market is ten times the size of the Canadian Market, is is logical that the Shark Tank deals are larger. In addition, American banks and financial institutions operate on bigger scales and deals are also done in bigger scales. Americans may be accustomed to this and prefer to watch large scale deals versus smaller scale deals. Shark Tank is also darker and more professional in retrospect to Dragon's Den which has more of a relaxed and laid back atmosphere. On Dragon's Den, the dragons are often making jokes and getting involved with the pitches. This may be due to a culture difference between the two countries. America is often seen as a more aggressive country while Canada is seen as a polite and quiet country. The entrepreneurs on Shark Tank are also less willing to compromise and this again ties in with America's aggressive nature. The last difference is that Americans are more litigious than Canadians. At the start of Shark Tank, a disclosure is given that states that actual negotiations are occurring between the investors and entrepreneurs and that no offer is being made to or from the viewing audience. America is a country where lawsuits are common and preventative measures are often in place.