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Mark Cuban announces 'Shark Tank' Season 16 will be his last, fans say show 'won't be same' without him

Mark Cuban revealed on the Showtime podcast 'All The Smoke' that he will exit 'Shark Tank' after Season 16

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Mark Cuban, businessman and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has announced his departure from the popular ABC business series 'Shark Tank'.

During a recent interview on the Showtime podcast titled 'All The Smoke', Cuban disclosed to hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson that the 16th season of the show will be his final one.

The 65-year-old TV personality stated that his time on the show, which is currently airing its 15th season, is coming to an end.

Cuban joined the show as a guest investor during its second season, but he became a main shark during the third season and has been a permanent fixture ever since.

The fifteenth season of the show premiered in September 2023, and Cuban has been an integral part of the program's success.

This announcement marks the end of an era for 'Shark Tank', as Cuban's involvement in the show has been instrumental in its popularity and success.

ABC has yet to confirm his departure; however, an insider on the show says Cuban has previously mentioned leaving the show.

What did Mark Cuban reveal on the 'All The Smoke' podcast?

Host Matt Barnes, a former NBA pro, asked the entrepreneur, “Just renewed for Season 15 of Shark Tank. Talk to us about that, the business behind it, the entertainment factor, do you guys actually make money off some of these Investments?”

Mark replied, “This is our 15th year, and next year, our 16th year, is gonna be my last year, so I got one more year to go.”

“It’s time,” he added.

“I love it because it sends the message the American dream is alive and well,” Cuban told hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson.

He continued, “I feel like in doing Shark Tank all these years, we’ve trained multiple generations of entrepreneurs that if somebody can come from Iowa or Sacramento or wherever, and show up on the carpet of Shark Tank and show their business and get a deal, it’s going to inspire generations of kids.”

Cuban noted that since he's been on the show since 2011, he's had people approach him and say they've been watching him since they were 10 years old.

“That’s what happens, right? Now we’ve got people coming on saying I watched you when I was 10 years old. I’m like, f*ck. But we’re helping them right?”

On the topic of whether he's made money off the investments that he's made on ‘Shark Tank’ over the years, Cuban's answer was between yes and no.

“I’ve invested in, I don’t know how many hundreds of companies. On a cash basis, I’m down a little bit, but on mark-to-market meaning, the companies are still in operation. I’m way up,” he explained.

When asked how he identifies a good investment on ‘Shark Tank’, Cuban replied that he relies on his instincts and listens carefully to the entrepreneurs.

"I look for ideas like, damn, why didn't I think of that," he said.

Cuban previously considered leaving the show in order to spend more time with his children as they grow older, as per an interview in September with Parade.

He also disclosed on the 'People Every Day' podcast in October 2022, “I committed to come back for season 15 next year. But after that, you know, I don’t know yet.”

The other sharks for Season 15 are Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O'Leary, and Lori Greiner. In addition, there will be several guest sharks, including Candace Nelson, Michael Rubin, and Jason Blum.

Internet shocked by Cuban's announcement

Mark Cuban’s twelve-year stint has almost made ‘Shark Tank’ synonymous with the prolific businessman and people have come to cherish the show even more for his involvement in it.

One X user said, “Won’t be the same without him." Another wrote, "Damn end of an era." Someone else remarked, "Show will be falling off unfortunately."

One user tweeted, "Bro really said he's out." "We’re not watching anymore," another declared.

An X user stated, "He's literally the main character tho." Someone else noted, "Wow.. this sad to hear." A user tweeted, "The downfall of this show has begun."