Mark Cuban Bids Farewell to 'Shark Tank' After 13 Years to Focus on Family: 'My Kids Aren't Waiting on Dad Anymore'

Mark Cuban, a longtime investor on ABC's Shark Tank, will make his final appearance on the show during the Season 16 finale.

Cuban, who joined Shark Tank in its second season and became a regular in Season 3, announced his decision to leave the show in November 2023. He cited a desire to spend more time with his family as the primary reason for his departure.

"My kids are teenagers, and I want to spend more time with them," Cuban said during an appearance on the "All the Smoke" podcast. "We always shoot in June and September, and in June, right when they're finishing school, I have to come here."

He added, "When they were young, it was like, 'OK, we're going to wait for dad.' Now that they're teenagers, they aren't waiting for dad at all."

Reflecting on his time on the show, Cuban expressed appreciation for the people he worked with. "Our crew from Sharks to PAs to producers are incredible to work with and to know. That's who I will miss more than anything," he told People magazine.

Fellow Shark Tank investor Barbara Corcoran shared her thoughts on Cuban's departure, stating, "Like losing a brother, it's terrible. I know I'll get over it; I hope I'll get over it, but it feels very sad. He feels irreplaceable. They say people aren't irreplaceable, but on the show, he is. He really is."

Kevin O'Leary, another costar, acknowledged Cuban's decision, saying, "He'd talked about it over the years... it's very time-consuming to do it, and each year takes longer. I understand his transition, but working with him was amazing."

He added, "But the show goes on as it always does, and I think there's a lot of people who want to be sharks, guest sharks. I think that's good because I think America needs the show and the show needs America."

Cuban, a billionaire businessman known for his sharp wit and no-nonsense approach, has been a mainstay on ABC's Shark Tank since its second season, becoming a full-time shark in Season 3.

His career spans successful ventures in technology, including co-founding Broadcast.com which sold to Yahoo! for billions, and sports, as the former majority owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, leading them to a championship in 2011.