Mark Cuban Shares What He'll Miss Most AboutShark TankAhead of His Exit — and It Isn't the Deals! (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Mark Cuban on ‘Shark Tank’.Photo:Christopher Willard via Getty

Christopher Willard via Getty

AsMark CubanbidsShark Tankfarewell, he’s looking back on the things he’ll miss the most.While exclusively speaking to PEOPLE about the upcoming 16th season of the business show, Cuban, 66, opened up about the emotions he was feeling as he headed into filming his final day."[It’s] going to be more about the crew and the staff because most of them have been here for 15 years and it’s family," he explained. “We all look forward to getting together twice a year for a long time and seeing each other for 12 hours a day.“The cast of ‘Shark Tank’.Christopher Willard/ABC via GettySharing how leaving behind the cast and crew will be the “hardest part,” thebillionaire businessmanadded, “I won’t miss the deals.““The deals are always out there, but I’ll miss the people and I’ll miss having an impact just from the show itself because we send a message every day that the American dream is alive and well,” he continued, noting how that message was the thing he was “most proud of.“In November 2023, Cuban revealed that he would not be returning to the ABC series after season 16 during an appearance on theAll the Smokepodcast.“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,” he explained, telling hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson he feels “it’s time” to leave the series after first appearing as a guest in season 2 and joining full-time in season 3.Mark Cuban.Mike Stobe/GettyDuring his conversation with PEOPLE, Cuban said he was walking away from the show to focus on his family.“My kids are teenagers and I want to spend more time with them,” he said, noting how he was most looking forward to “vacations” with his children after his departure.“We always shoot in June and September, and in June, right when they’re finishing school, I have to come here,” he explained. “When they were young it was like, ‘Okay, we’re going to wait for Dad.’ Now that they’re teenagers, they aren’t waiting for Dad at all, and in September they’ve just gotten back to school. I want to be there for that.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Shark Tankseason 16 premieres Friday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

AsMark CubanbidsShark Tankfarewell, he’s looking back on the things he’ll miss the most.

While exclusively speaking to PEOPLE about the upcoming 16th season of the business show, Cuban, 66, opened up about the emotions he was feeling as he headed into filming his final day.

“[It’s] going to be more about the crew and the staff because most of them have been here for 15 years and it’s family,” he explained. “We all look forward to getting together twice a year for a long time and seeing each other for 12 hours a day.”

The cast of ‘Shark Tank’.Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty

Christopher Willard/ABC via Getty

Sharing how leaving behind the cast and crew will be the “hardest part,” thebillionaire businessmanadded, “I won’t miss the deals.”

“The deals are always out there, but I’ll miss the people and I’ll miss having an impact just from the show itself because we send a message every day that the American dream is alive and well,” he continued, noting how that message was the thing he was “most proud of.”

In November 2023, Cuban revealed that he would not be returning to the ABC series after season 16 during an appearance on theAll the Smokepodcast.

“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,” he explained, telling hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson he feels “it’s time” to leave the series after first appearing as a guest in season 2 and joining full-time in season 3.

Mark Cuban.Mike Stobe/Getty

Mike Stobe/Getty

During his conversation with PEOPLE, Cuban said he was walking away from the show to focus on his family.

“My kids are teenagers and I want to spend more time with them,” he said, noting how he was most looking forward to “vacations” with his children after his departure.

“We always shoot in June and September, and in June, right when they’re finishing school, I have to come here,” he explained. “When they were young it was like, ‘Okay, we’re going to wait for Dad.’ Now that they’re teenagers, they aren’t waiting for Dad at all, and in September they’ve just gotten back to school. I want to be there for that.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Shark Tankseason 16 premieres Friday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

source: people.com