For many, the TV show Shark Tank, highlighted on the channel ABC, is a reminder of the magic of the sought-after American dream. The show features aspiring businessmen pitching their business deals to a group of “Sharks” (Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary) who are looking to invest in an appealing deal. The Sharks often invest their money in exchange for a percentage of the business. Frequently, the Sharks are able to use their resources to grow the businesses of their investees and occasionally, turn the “mom and pop shops” into multi-million dollar corporations.
Recently, during a guest appearance on the podcast, “All the Smoke”, Cuban announced his plan to leave Shark Tank next year after the end of the 16th season. Cuban has been a main Shark since the third season, after starring as a guest investor in the second season of the show. During his time on Shark Tank, Cuban has invested approximately $29 million in at least 85 businesses. Some of Cuban’s most notable investments include the app Brightwheel, Dude Wipes, and BeatBox.
Mark Cuban says he’s leaving ‘Shark Tank’ after its next season https://t.co/RL2BA3S3Dz
— MarketWatch (@MarketWatch) December 2, 2023
Cuban gained success and notoriety after he founded Broadcast.com, a video portal, with another Indiana University alum, Todd Wagner. Together, they sold the portal to Yahoo for $5.7 billion. Currently, Cuban owns the NBA team, the Dallas Mavericks, and is a co-founder of the company Cost Plus Drugs, whose purpose is aimed at lowering the price of prescription drugs.
Some have speculated that Cuban’s decision to leave Shark Tank hints at a possible presidential run. Cuban, who he had openly admitted having been discussing potentially running for the presidency with No-Labels, a bipartisan group advocating for a third-party candidate, confirmed that he would not be running for president in the 2024 election saying that his family would “disown me”.
I know Mark Cuban well. He backed me big-time but I wasn’t interested in taking all of his calls.He’s not smart enough to run for president!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 12, 2017
Following these suspicions, Cuban has clarified that he will be leaving Shark Tank to spend more time with his teens before they “go off on their own”. Cuban has made it clear that there is no reason against Shark Tank for his withdrawal and it is exclusively a personal decision. He has stated that he has loved his time involved with the show and how it has and will continue to empower future entrepreneurs.
With one of the main sharks swimming away from Shark Tank, fans are curious to see if Cuban’s absence will leave an empty gap in their favorite show.
