TV show tests if an MBA can show you the money

NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Does business school really teach you how to make money? A new television game show is trying to find out by pitting a group of MBA students against each other to see who can ring up most dollars.

CNBC is branching out from its strict diet of financial news next month with the introduction of the prime-time game show "Fast Money MBA Challenge," hosted by one of the network's anchors, Dylan Ratigan of "Fast Money."

The show, which debuts on August 1 at 9 p.m., features 32 MBA students from eight business schools seeded according to their ranking on a 2007 list of the most prestigious institutions.

The teams representing each school will compete in tests of their financial acumen to accumulate money in a virtual "Investment Portfolio" with the group amassing the highest amount leading the contest.

A championship match on August 22 will feature an additional round in which teams create a portfolio of five publicly traded stocks whose performance will be tracked for about a week.

Winners will receive $200,000 to be split among team members, with the prize money to be used for tuition, repayment of school loans, books, room and board or other school-related expenses.

"Based on the success of 'Fast Money's' 'Grade the Trade' segment, we saw an opportunity to create a new type of program not traditionally found on CNBC," said Susan Krakower, vice president for strategic programming and development, in a statement.

"CNBC's viewing audience receives their own financial education while getting an inside look at the next generation of Wall Street wizards."

CNBC has dabbled with entertainment programming in the past but not with particularly positive results. Talk shows hosted by comedian Dennis Miller and tennis champion John McEnroe did not last long.