Fan Favorite Award

Fan Favorite Award
Survivor Gameplay
Description	The award given to the person that the fans adore the most.
Appearances	All-Stars Panama–Cook Islands China–Caramoan

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, 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 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

Legacy

At the Kaôh Rōng Reunion, Australian pop singer and Survivor fan Sia 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" or "Sia Prize". The final prizes were awarded at the end of Survivor 45, with Jeff Probst confirming in an Instagram story on May 24, 2024 that it would not continue for Survivor 46.

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 Ghost Island and David vs. Goliath respectively; Rick Devens, who received $100,000 in Edge of Extinction; 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 Island of the Idols; Jamal Shipman, who received $15,000 in Island of the Idols; Drea Wheeler and Jesse Lopez, who received $100,000 each in Survivor 42 and 43 respectively; Owen Knight and Ryan Medrano, who received $50,000 each in Survivor 43; Carson Garrett and Lauren Harpe, who received $15,000 each in Survivor 44; Carolyn Wiger, who received $100,000 in Survivor 44; Jake O'Kane and Kaleb Gebrewold, who received $15,000 each in Survivor 45; and Katurah Topps, who received $100,000 in Survivor 45. Sia has also stated that she originally wanted to award Keith Nale the prize at the Cambodia Reunion, but did not follow through.

Trivia

• From Heroes vs. Villains to Caramoan, 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.