The hour-long format for Price was tried for the week of Septemand became permanent on November 3. This format added two new elements contestants are now chosen from the Studio Audience, and the winner of each item up for bids joins the host onstage to play one of dozens of pricing games.

Other concurrent syndicated series starred Tom Kennedy (1985-86) and Doug Davidson (1994-95). The daytime series can still be seen on CBS, with the concurrent nighttime show airing until 1980 (Barker replaced James in 1977). Around mid-May, while the format was being hammered out (one suggestion was to use three Showcases), CBS daytime programming chief Bud Grant expressed interest in a five-a-week daytime version (along with two other new shows, The Joker's Wild and Gambit) and selected Bob Barker to host it.but Barker wanted no part of it and felt the show could be better produced, begging Grant to let him host one of the other games (it's been speculated that Barker simply wanted to expand his abilities by doing a quiz-based game, as he'd been doing Truth or Consequences for the past 15+ years) Grant's response was that, whereas the other two shows had 'traffic cop' roles, Barker had 'far more talent' (unwittingly insulting eventual hosts Jack Barry and Wink Martindale in the process).

Price is right cast