“Shark Tank” Takes a Bite Out of the Competition

“Shark Tank,” produced by UCF alumnus Clay Newbill, ’82, devoured the competition at the 2014 Creative Emmy Awards for Outstanding Structured Reality Program. According to the Emmy’s website “Shark Tank” has been nominated three times with their first win this year.

Newbill earned his bachelor’s degree in radio-television from UCF. Not only is he the executive producer of “Shark Tank” but he is the president, founder and executive producer of 310 Entertainment. Other reality shows he has worked on include “The Mole,” “The Bachelorette,” “Road Rules,” and “The Real World.”

Winning an Emmy is an honor for anyone, but growing up in Ormond Beach and going to UCF Newbill said that the award was especially rewarding and the greatest achievement of his professional career.

“Only my marriage and the birth of my son are greater milestones in my life,” Newbill said. “From now on, I will forever be ‘Emmy Award winning, Clay Newbill.’”

As “Shark Tank” was announced at the Creative Arts Emmys Newbill and his fellow producers leapt to their feet shouting and screaming.

“So many emotions are ripping through you, elation, excitement, and at the same instant you feel humbled, and gracious, adrenaline is coursing through you,” Newbill said. “It’s hard to describe.”

From that moment on Newbill said that it was all a blur, he could not wait to hold the statue in his hand.

“I have seen Emmy statues before, but this one was mine, and it looked oddly different knowing this,” Newbill said. “I held it above my head in a sign of triumph.”

After Newbill’s acceptance speech, the team was led backstage to go through a series of interviews and photo ops. Their last stop was at the Governor’s Ball where they celebrated their win with each member receiving an Emmy statue.

“Such a proud moment, such an incredible night, such an amazing honor,” Newbill said.

He hopes to continue to raise the bar for their show and push his team to produce an even better season so that they can hold an Emmy statue above their heads again. Season six of “Shark Tank” will premier Sept. 26.

“Shark Tank” will forever be known as ‘the Emmy Award winning Shark Tank.’

Not only has his show gone down in history, but Newbill has as well. In September 2013 he was inducted into the UCF Nicholson School of Communication Hall of Fame by the UCF NSC Alumni Chapter. In 2009, Newbill received the UCF College of Sciences Professional Achievement Award, which is the highest honor awarded to an alumnus from each college by the UCF Alumni Association at its annual Black & Gold Gala.