'SHARK TANK' Returns With an Entrepreneur Who Dared to Turn Down the Sharks Twice!

CULVER CITY, Calif., April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- During last Friday's episode of Sony Pictures Television's hit ABC reality series, SHARK TANK, history was made when James Martin, from The Dalles, OR, became the first entrepreneur to return to the series and face the Sharks trying to convince them to invest in his plastic wine-in-a-cup business, Copa Di Vino. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080424/LATH509LOGO)

When Martin appeared on the show last season he was seeking $600,000 for a 20% stake in his business.  After a heated negotiation, Martin turned down an offer from venture capitalist, Kevin O'Leary for $600,000 for 51% of the patent for the packaging of the product. As he walked away from the Tank, O'Leary caustically remarked, "He's a dead man walking."

Martin returned on Friday and after another heated negotiation, this time billionaire Mark Cuban, venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary and technology innovator Robert Herjavec together offered $600,000 in exchange for 30% of Martin's business.  However, after Martin called his friend Jim Koch, co-founder of Samuel Adams beer for advice on the offer, he once again turned down the offer, to the astonishment of all the Sharks.

Drawing a younger audience, ABC's SHARK TANK ranked #1 in its time period among all 18-34 demos and defeated CBS' "Undercover Boss" by 33% in Adults 18-34.  Additionally, SHARK TANK was up from its last original three weeks ago in most demos, including A18-49 (+7%), A25-54 (+10%), and A18-34 (+9%).  The show also improved from its prior season average across the board (+23% in A18-49 Rtg, +33% in A18-34 Rtg, +24% in A25-54 Rtg, +19% in total viewers).

Other entrepreneurs in Friday's episode who were unable to convince the Sharks to part with their money included a housewife from Kokomo, IN, who was hoping to get the Sharks to help grow her handcrafted cookie company into a household name; a former medical student from Penfield, NY, whose T-shirts display motivational messages that appear when activated by sweat; and a versatile inventor from San Antonio, TX, who tried to prove to the Sharks that the waste products created by his 100-foot tall generator can be transformed into gold.

About SHARK TANK

The Sharks are: billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of HDNet and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA championship Dallas Mavericks; real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran; "Queen of QVC" Lori Greiner; technology innovator Robert Herjavec; fashion and branding expert Daymond John and venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary.  SHARK TANK airs Fridays at 8PM on ABC.

The panel of five Sharks hears pitches of the best business and product ideas from some of America's brightest entrepreneurs. When the Sharks hear a great idea, they're ready to fight each other for a piece of it. If and when the Sharks are confronted with a really top-notch idea, and more than one of them wants to sink their teeth into it, a war between them can erupt.

Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill and Phil Gurin are the executive producers of SHARK TANK, based on the Japanese "Dragons' Den" format created by Nippon Television Network Corporation. The episode is directed by Ken Fuchs and Alan Carter. The series is from Sony Pictures Television.

SOURCE Sony Pictures Television