Hey guys, here's an interesting question for you all to debate on:

Now, as you know Match Game was so popular in the 70's when they brought the show back, but in 1978, they decided to spice up the Super Match Bonus Game w/something new

They brought in the Star Wheel in 1978, and that was probably b/c alot of people were choosing Richard Dawson, they decided to change the rules to the Super Match

and on Match Game PM the most you can win is $21,000 and it only happend twice on Match Game PM

I also read that Dawson left Match Game in 1978 under bad terms, mainly b/c of the Star Wheel

and also, in 1979, the show moved to 5 day a week syn. and Match Game still kept the Star Wheel but a contestant can only retire after winning just 2 games, Terrible, IMO

But, 8 years later, when Match Game Returned to Television on abc Daytime, so did the Star Wheel

However, unlike the 1970s version of Match Game, a contestant still played the Head-to-Head Match for a consolation amount, either $500 (prior to the payoff structure change) or $1,000. (On Match Game '7x and its syndicated counterparts, the round ended immediately if a contestant failed to give a correct Audience Match answer.)

The contestant then faced the Star Wheel to determine their potential Head-to-Head Match winnings, spinning a green arrow around the wheel to pick a star (as opposed to spinning the entire wheel when it was originally introduced). Each star's space on the wheel had two red dots on it, and if the arrow landed on a red dot the stake doubled – allowing for a maximum $10,000 Head-to-Head Match. As before, an exact match won the money while anything less gained a contestant nothing. Champions on the ABC version could remain for up to five days meaning they can win over $50,000 in cash

So my question to you all is this:

Do you think that the Star Wheel on Match Game 70's version was the reason for the shows ratings to drop or was it too many time changes?

and what did you think about Richard Dawson laeving the show?

and did you like the Star Wheel or did you hate it?

That's the Question!

Please debate on this

and now, here are some Video Clips:

Match Game '78 on CBS Daytime with the Debut of the Star Wheel
Scoey Mitchell, Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Sharon Farrell, Richard Dawson and Mary Wickes
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Match Game PM w/the 1st $21,000 Super Match Winner
Courtesy of WTTG-5 Washington DC
Richard Deacon, Brett Somers, Charles Nelson Reilly, Patty Duke, Bob Barker and Fannie Flagg
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Match Game '79 - Final Episode on CBS
Bart Braverman of Vega$, Brett Somers, Gary "Radar" Burghoff, Elaine Joyce, Bill Daly and Marcia Wallace
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The All New Star Studded Match Game on abc Daytime

Loving Week on abc
Fred Travalena, Betty White, Charles Nelson Reilly, Shelley Taylor-Morgan, Perry Stephen and Lauren-Marie Taylor
November 9, 1990 - Kelly vs David - AWESOME Episode
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I don't think the Star Wheel was the reason for Match Game's declining ratings. There were possibly a number of factors that led to its cancellation.

First, there were a number of time slot changes. The first and most brutal was when CBS moved the show into a morning time slot, losing a lot of the audience who would watch Match Game after school. When the show was moved back into the afternoon. The audience didn't come back.

Second, the departure of Richard Dawson also contributed to the show's demise. When Family Feud became a huge hit, he developed ego problems and became more and more withdrawn on Match Game. Finally, he left the show after five years of being the player almost everyone picked for the Head-to-Head Match.

And finally, when Match Game was move to the 4 PM ET slot, a number of stations didn't carry the show due to commitments to local and syndicated programming. It was pretty much the nail in the coffin for late afternoon network shows that began when ABC picked up The Edge of Night from CBS. Clearance problems also were a factor.