Mark Cuban Announces Departure From ‘Shark Tank,’ Fans Don’t Think It’s for Real
Mark Cuban is ready to call it a day on Shark Tank. The billionaire revealed that season 16 of the hit reality show will be his last. Fans of the series aren’t entirely convinced that Cuban is ready to leave the tank, though. He has claimed he would cut ties with the show before. This time, however, Cuban is making a lot of business moves that suggest he is ready to slow things down and spend more time with his family.
Mark Cuban is set to leave ‘Shark Tank’ at the end of season 16
Mark Cuban shocked the world when he announced he was ready to leave Shark Tank. He initially revealed the big news on All the Smoke, a podcast hosted by Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. He doubled down on the decision in an email to The Hollywood Reporter. Cuban told the publication that he has loved working on Shark Tank but wanted to have some free summers to spend with their kids before they are ready to go off on their own. Mark Cuban has three children. Alexis, Alyssa, and Jake Cuban were born in 2003, 2006, and 2010, respectively. Alexis currently attends Vanderbilt University.
Season 16 will not air until next year, meaning Cuban won’t be leaving the negotiating table until 2025. While the deadline leaves a lot of time for Cuban to change his mind, he claims he is unwavering in his decision.
Mark Cuban threatened to leave ‘Shark Tank’ before
The first suggestion that Cuban was ready to leave Shark Tank came in 2014. A series of leaked emails from Sony showed Cuban’s negotiation with the team behind Shark Tank. Things weren’t always amicable. When Sony executives offered him $30,000 per episode, he suggested they start cutting him out of promotional materials. Cuban and the production team clearly came to a resolution.
Last year, Cuban revealed that he wasn’t sure how long he would remain committed to the series. In an interview for CNN Business, he said that his future on Shark Tank was uncertain and that he was interested in spending more time with his family.
Other business moves suggest Cuban means what he has said
While Cuban has made waves before with suggestions that he was ready to leave Shark Tank, there are plenty of hints that this admission is the real deal. Cuban isn’t just giving up his seat at the negotiating table. According to several reports, he is also selling off his stake in the Mavericks.
The Associated Press reports that Cuban is selling most of his stake in the basketball team. According to reports, a deal has not yet been finalized. The sale would free up some of Cuban’s time to focus on his family and other ventures, just like walking away from Shark Tank would.
So, is Cuban for real this time? It certainly seems like it. Still, there are deals to be made while he remains on the show, and we are sure he’ll be doing just that.
