Fan Favorite Award

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 reunion show, where the viewers voted for the most popular All-Star contestant, Rupert Boneham. 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.
===Panama and Cook Islands===
In and , viewers could vote for their favorite castaway to win a car.
===Sprint Player Of The Season===
From to , 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 	ClosestOpponent(s) 	Prize
(via Survivor: America's Tribal Council)	Rupert Boneham 	Tom Buchanan, Colby Donaldson, Rob Mariano 	$1,000,000
 	Cirie Fields 	Undisclosed 	GMC Yukon
 	Ozzy Lusth 	Yul Kwon 	Mercury Mariner
 	James Clement 	Denise Martin, Peih-Gee Law 	$100,000
 	James Clement 	Amanda Kimmel, Ozzy Lusth 	$100,000
 	Bob Crowley 	Sugar Kiper, Matty Whitmore 	$100,000
 	J.T. Thomas 	Taj Johnson-George, Sierra Reed 	$100,000
 	Russell Hantz 	Shambo Waters, Brett Clouser 	$100,000
 	Russell Hantz 	Rupert Boneham 	$100,000
 	Jane Bright 	Undisclosed 	$100,000
 	Rob Mariano 	Matt Elrod 	$100,000
 	Ozzy Lusth 	John Cochran 	$100,000
 	Kim Spradlin 	Troyzan Robertson, Tarzan Smith, Chelsea Meissner	$100,000
 	Lisa Whelchel 	Malcolm Freberg 	$100,000
 	Malcolm Freberg	Brenda Lowe 	$100,000
== Legacy ==
At the , Australian pop singer and Survivor fan expressed that she wanted to continue the previous tradition of the Fan Favorite Award by giving money to her favorite contestant(s) of the season. Tai Trang became the first person to receive money from Sia, who would continue this tradition sporadically for future seasons, sometimes outside of the Reunion Show proper. Sia's reasons for her awardees have varied, with some awardees notably sharing her love for animals, while others have received the prize simply for being "good people". Though not formally recognized as a Fan Favorite Award, this unofficial award has come to be known by fans as the "Sia Award".
Contestants that have received this award include Tai Trang, who received $50,000 and was given another $50,000 to be donated to a charity of his choice in Kaôh Rōng; Donathan Hurley and Davie Rickenbacker, who received $14,000 each in and respectively; Rick Devens, who received $100,000 in ; Aurora McCreary, who received $15,000 in Edge of Extinction; Joe Anglim, who requested that his $15,000 prize in Edge of Extinction be donated to a children's cancer charity; Elaine Stott and Janet Carbin, who received $100,000 each in ; Jamal Shipman, who received $15,000 in Island of the Idols; Drea Wheeler and Jesse Lopez, who received $100,000 each in and respectively;https://twitter.com/survivorcbs/status/1531749988950331392https://ew.com/tv/watch-sia-give-money-to-survivor-43-contestants/ Owen Knight and Ryan Medrano, who received $50,000 each in Survivor 43; Carson Garrett and Lauren Harpe, who received $15,000 each in ;https://twitter.com/CarsonGarrett_/status/1661871123368144896https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1661799453488218112 Carolyn Wiger, who received $100,000 in Survivor 44;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpMJ82c8qsQ Jake O'Kane and Kaleb Gebrewold, who received $15,000 each in ; and Katurah Topps, who received $100,000 in Survivor 45.https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2023/12/21/survivor-sia-money-season-45/72004159007/ Sia has also stated that she originally wanted to award Keith Nale the prize at the , but did not follow through.https://screenrant.com/survivor-everything-know-sia-award/
== Trivia==
*From  to , all the men to win the Fan Favorite Award were returnees, where as 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==
Category:Post-Game Events
Category:Gameplay
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Awards
Category:Survivor: All-Stars
Category:Survivor: Panama
Category:Survivor: Cook Islands
Category:Survivor: China
Category:Survivor: Micronesia
Category:Survivor: Gabon
Category:Survivor: Tocantins
Category:Survivor: Samoa
Category:Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains
Category:Survivor: Nicaragua
Category:Survivor: Redemption Island
Category:Survivor: South Pacific
Category:Survivor: One World
Category:Survivor: Philippines
Category:Survivor: Caramoan
Category:Survivor (franchise)