Mark Cuban, the sharp-tongued, deal-dropping billionaire who’s been swimming with the “Shark Tank” crew since day one, is officially hanging up his fins. Yep, the 66-year-old mogul has decided to exit the beloved business battle arena—proving even billionaires have retirement plans that involve more real life than reality TV.
So, why is Cuban saying goodbye to the show that made watching negotiations oddly thrilling? Turns out, he’s got bigger fish to fry… or, well, teenagers to wrangle. Cuban told The Wrap that he’s ditching the glitzy Shark Tank set to spend more quality time with his kids, who’ve apparently reached that charming age where they’ve stopped listening to him altogether.
> “I’m leaving just to spend more time with my kids—they’re teenagers now. When they were younger, my wife and I told them where to be and when to show up. Now? They don’t care. They’ve got that ‘You can’t tell me what to do, Dad’ vibe going on.”
Relatable, right? Even when your net worth is floating somewhere near $6 billion, teens will still ignore you like you’re holding up a “fun family movie night” flyer. And since the show’s taping schedule falls smack dab in June and September (AKA prime “school’s out” time), Cuban’s decided it’s high time to swap business pitches for family BBQs—and maybe remind his kids he’s cooler than TikTok.
> “I’m just tired of missing out. They’re finally at the age where hanging out with them counts. Before you know it, they’ll be out of the house, and I’ll be left explaining NFTs to my dog.”
But wait—don’t think you’ve seen the last of Mr. Cuban just yet. Fans will still catch him popping by the Tank to check in on his 85—yes, 85!—business investments. Gotta make sure those gourmet cookie startups and glow-in-the-dark yoga mats are still thriving.
> “I’ll come back to do updates on the companies I’ve invested in. Then I’ll hand it all off to someone else. Basically, I’m like that cool uncle who shows up for the holidays, throws money around, and dips.”
Cuban’s leaving the Tank to tackle something even scarier than business negotiations: raising teenagers. Good luck, Mark. May your pitches be persuasive, and your teens’ phones have terrible Wi-Fi.