The Fan Favorite Award (later called Sprint Player of the Season for sponsorship purposes) is a special title earned by a contestant for being the most popular with the audience of their season. This contestant receives an extra prize that is separate from their talent fee from appearing on the show.
About
Before the finale, viewers vote for their favorite contestant of the season. At the Reunion Show, the winner is revealed, and he/she will receive an extra prize, apart from his/her Survivor winnings and appearance at the live show. The winner of the season is also eligible to win this award, which would increase his/her winnings further.
History
Survivor: America's Tribal Council
Please see, Survivor: America's Tribal Council.
The first fan favorite award was revealed during the Survivor: All-Stars reunion show, where the viewers voted for the most popular All-Star contestant. They also got the chance to vote for their favorite moments of the first eight seasons.
After a voting period which lasted for a week, a second reunion show was held, where Rupert Boneham was awarded the fan favorite award, earning himself $1,000,000, even though he technically did not win the actual competition. This format generated controversy among fans, calling it "unfair" for Boneham to merely win a popularity contest, while he failed to win the title of Sole Survivor in both of his seasons.[1]
Panama and Cook Islands
In Panama and Cook Islands, viewers could vote for their favorite castaway to win a car.
Sprint Player Of The Season
From Survivor: China to Survivor: Caramoan, viewers could vote for their favorite castaway to win an extra $100,000 sponsored by telecommunications company Sprint.
List of Fan Favorite Award Winners
| Season | Fan Favorite | Closest Opponent(s) |
Prize |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Stars (via Survivor: America's Tribal Council) |
 Rupert Boneham |
   Tom Buchanan, Colby Donaldson, Rob Mariano |
$1,000,000 |
| Panama |  Cirie Fields |
Undisclosed | GMC Yukon |
| Cook Islands |  Ozzy Lusth |
 Yul Kwon |
Mercury Mariner |
| China |  James Clement |
  Denise Martin, Peih-Gee Law |
$100,000 |
| Micronesia |  James Clement |
  Amanda Kimmel, Ozzy Lusth | |
| Gabon |  Bob Crowley |
  Sugar Kiper, Matty Whitmore | |
| Tocantins |  J.T. Thomas |
  Taj Johnson-George, Sierra Reed | |
| Samoa |  Russell Hantz |
  Shambo Waters, Brett Clouser | |
| Heroes vs. Villains |  Russell Hantz |
 Rupert Boneham | |
| Nicaragua |  Jane Bright |
Undisclosed | |
| Redemption Island |  Rob Mariano |
 Matt Elrod | |
| South Pacific |  Ozzy Lusth |
 John Cochran | |
| One World |  Kim Spradlin |
   Troyzan Robertson, Tarzan Smith, Chelsea Meissner | |
| Philippines |  Lisa Whelchel |
 Malcolm Freberg | |
| Caramoan |  Malcolm Freberg |
 Brenda Lowe |
Trivia
- From Heroes vs. Villains to Caramoan, all the men to win the Fan Favorite Award were returnees, whereas all the women to win the Fan Favorite Award were newbies.
- Lisa Whelchel is the only new castaway in a season with returning players to win the Fan Favorite Award.
- Malcolm Freberg is the lowest placing castaway to win the Fan Favorite Award, as he finished in 9th in the season where he won the award.
- Ozzy Lusth, Russell Hantz, and James Clement are the only people to win the award twice.
- Russell and James are the only castaways to be win the award in back-to-back seasons.
- Bob Crowley is the oldest person to win the award. Jane Bright is the oldest woman to win the award. J.T. Thomas is the youngest person to win the award. Kim Spradlin is the youngest woman to win the award.
- Bob, J.T., Kim, and Rob Mariano are the only players to win both the title of Sole Survivor and the Fan Favorite Award in the same season.
References
- ↑ Bloomberg, David (May 14, 2004). "Survivor: America's Tribal Council – Why Rupert Won". Reality News Online. http://www.realitynewsonline.com/cgi-bin/ae.pl?mode=4&article=article4488.art&page=1. Retrieved January 10, 2012.