‘Shark Tank’ Is Mark Cuban Gearing Up For A Presidential Bid?
After a recent string of surprising moves, could Mark Cuban be signaling his intention to make his official presidential bid?
Mark Cuban has never been one to shy away from a challenge. The 65-year-old billionaire has built a reputation as a person who has paved his own way to success. After being raised in a working-class neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Cuban eventually made his way to Dallas, Texas where he’d eventually make his fortune. By 1995, Cuban co-founded the company AudioNet, which then became Broadcast.com. In 1999, Cuban sold his company to Yahoo! for a staggering $5.7 billion.
Since becoming a billionaire, Cuban has managed to spread his entrepreneurial wings. He has since held the title of film producer, investor, television personality, and even an owner of a professional sports team. But as of this week, it appears that Cuban is looking to clear out his schedule just a bit. Last week, Cuban announced that he will be exiting Shark Tank after next season. According to ESPN, Cuban is now looking to sell his majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks to the Adelson family.
Attempting To Lighten The Load
Cuban has been the majority owner of the Mavericks since he bought the team in 2000. He originally purchased the team for $285 million from real estate developer H. Ross Perot Jr. After years of being a struggling NBA franchise, Cuban’s Mavericks saw early success. By 2011, the team won its first championship. But it now appears that Cuban is ready to hand over the reins to another majority owner.
As reported by ESPN, it appears that the wheels are already in motion for the sale of majority ownership of the Mavericks. According to an SEC filing, the Adelson family is selling almost $2 billion in stock in the Las Vegas Sands Corp., “to fund the purchase of a majority interest in a professional sports franchise pursuant to a binding purchase agreement, subject to customary league approvals.”
News of Cuban’s apparent sale of his beloved NBA franchise comes after he announced his departure from Shark Tank. “This is our 15th year. Next year, 16th year, is going to be my last year,” Cuban said last week on the “All The Smoke” podcast. “So one more year to go. It’s time.”
Cuban spoke about the impact that Shark Tank had on the business world. “In doing Shark Tank all these years, we’ve trained a generation of entrepreneurs, multiple generations of entrepreneurs, that if somebody can come from Iowa or Sacramento or wherever, and show up on the carpet on Shark Tank, and show their business and get a deal, that’s going to inspire generations of kids, right?” Cuban said on the podcast.
The Reality Of A Mark Cuban Presidential Bid
With Cuban deciding to free up his time, rumors have begun to swirl about what his next move will be. Many believe that a full-fledged presidential bid is next in line for Mark Cuban. Ahead of the 2020 Presidential Election, Cuban was strongly considering a run as an Independent. “My family voted it down,” Cuban said of his 2020 presidential bid. “Otherwise I would have.”
While on The Axe Files podcast in 2020, Cuban was critical of then-President Donald Trump, condemning his lack of leadership skills. “He’s not a leader at all,” Cuban said. “He has no communication skills. To this day, nothing is his fault. He’s never admitted anything. And you can’t be the leader of the free world and play the victim card all the time.”
Although he told NBC News in July that a 2024 presidential campaign would not be happening, it hasn’t stopped the rumors from circulating. According to former Sen. Joe Lieberman, the founding chairman of the No Labels group, Cuban has the tools needed to be president. “Mark Cuban is a real national leader and innovator who has his hands on the pulse of the American people. I am grateful that he sees the value of our No Labels Movement.”
What do you think of a possible Mark Cuban presidential bid? Should he stay on the sidelines? Let us know your opinion in the comments section.
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