While Jeopardy!‘s 2023 Tournament of Champions has been temporarily postponed due to the ongoing WGA strike, it hasn’t stopped fans from discussing the upcoming competition and who has qualified to take part. One things that stands out for many is the lack of diversity.
Season 39 finished airing last Friday, July 28, and throughout the season, only one woman qualified for the upcoming Tournament of Champions, data scientist Hannah Wilson, who won eight games earlier this year. A player must win at least four games to be eligible for the TOC.
Thirteen contestants officially qualified for the 2023 TOC, including fan favorites Ray LaLonde, Cris Pannullo, Luigi de Guzman, and Ben Chan. Celebrity Jeopardy! winner Ike Barinholtz is also set to compete in the tournament.
“There’s no way they would go ahead with such an un-diverse tournament after the 50% non-male field from the last tournament,” wrote one fan on the Jeopardy! Reddit forum.
“I would have liked to see more women in the TOC,” added another commenter.
One of the TOC qualifiers, Ben Goldstein, spoke to The U.S. Sun about the male-heavy field, offering his opinion on how the show could bring in more diversity.
“I think Jeopardy! is amazing. I don’t wanna dump criticism their way. What I wanna do is offer constructive, positive feedback,” Goldstein said. “People complain about the lack of diversity in the 2023 TOC contestant class. What are some ways we can address that?”
“One way is to offer a travel stipend, for example, or an official hotel with a discounted rate and shuttle service,” he continued. “Not everyone can afford a trip to LA and get $750 return after taxes 90 days after their show airs – it’s good we’re talking about this sort of thing.”
The line-up for the 2023 TOC so far includes High School Reunion Tournament winner Justin Bolsen, Celebrity Jeopardy! winner Ike Barinholtz, Cris Pannullo (21 wins), Ray LaLonde (13 wins), Ben Chan (9 wins), Hannah Wilson (8 wins), Stephen Webb (8 wins), Troy Meyer (6 wins), Suresh Krishnan (6 wins), Luigi de Guzman (5 wins), Ben Goldstein (5 wins), Matthew Marcus (4 wins), and David Sibley (4 wins).
However, there are still slots available. Before the WGA strike caused a change of plans, Jeopardy! planned to host a number of postseason tournaments, including a Second Chance competition and a Champions Wildcard, offering another chance for other Season 39 players to qualify for the TOC.
Those plans are currently on hold due to the strikes. And even if the producers did decide to move ahead, several TOC qualifiers stated they would not cross the picket line. There is no word as of yet when the 2023 TOC will air.
Season 40 is currently scheduled to begin airing on September 11 and will feature recycled WGA material.
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