Shaquille O’Neal, the second former athlete to have a TV game show abruptly canceled, co-hosted ABC’s trivia game show “Lucky 13” alongside Gina Rodriguez.
After the production company behind the game show filed for bankruptcy, ABC agreed to pay out over $460,000 in prize money to contestants, even though they weren’t legally obligated to do so.
Deadline reports that ABC, a Disney-owned network, prioritized ensuring the contestants received their rightful compensation.
“Lucky 13” was produced by a UK-based company, Studio 1, which upfront paid for the production expenses in exchange for a share of ABC’s advertising and product placement sales.
However, the game show struggled with low ratings in America, resulting in revenue falling significantly short of expectations. Consequently, ABC decided not to renew “Lucky 13” for a second season.
Two companies, Lucky 13 Holdings and Studio 13 Entertainment, founded by Studio 1, filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations.
Hosts O’Neal and Rodriguez, as well as the prize winners, were unfortunately not paid after Studio 1 declared bankruptcy.
A total of 13 contestants were owed a substantial prize money amounting to $461,500, with individual prizes ranging from $3,750 to $125,000.
Despite the network not being legally obligated to do so, ABC took the initiative to pay everyone involved.
Last November, Studio 1 CEO Adrian Woolfe shared with Deadline that they were actively taking proactive steps to restructure the Studio 1 business and safeguard the value of the now-proven Lucky 13 intellectual property. 
Last week, retired Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade’s game show, “The Cube,” was canceled after he disclosed his kidney cancer diagnosis.
In a recent episode of his podcast, Wade revealed that he underwent surgery in 2023 to remove 40% of his right kidney.
Wade shared the symptoms he experienced before his diagnosis, including stomach issues and cramps. He also mentioned a persistent weakness in his urine stream, which prompted him to seek medical attention.
An MRI imaging test confirmed the presence of a cancerous tumor in his right kidney. Fortunately, Wade is now in remission.
