Mark Cuban Will Exit ABC Hit Series 'Shark Tank' After Season 16

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban has spent more than a decade on the hit ABC reality series "Shark Tank," but now he's ready to move on to different waters. Appearing on the podcast "ALL THE SMOKE," the businessman revealed that he's planning to depart from the series — on which he has been a fixture since 2011 — after its next season.

"Next year, our 16th year, is going to be my last year," Cuban told the podcast's hosts, NBA players Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, "so I got one more year to go." Currently in its 15th season, "Shark Tank" gives entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their businesses to a panel of wealthy venture capitalists, referred to as sharks. Cuban first appeared as a guest shark in Season 2 before being brought into the tank as a main shark in Season 4. He has since been a regular, and the series has made him a household name. At the time of writing, ABC has not confirmed his potential departure.

Mark Cuban may be one of the most well-known sharks on "Shark Tank," but the billionaire has a lot of other responsibilities and not having to do the show would free up more time for his other ventures. In January 2022, Cuban started the Cost Plus Drugs company, a public benefit corporation that aims to drive down pharmaceutical prices by offering consumers lower prices for generic drugs. According to the Harvard Political Review, running the company alongside his business partner, Dr. Alex Oshmyansky, takes up a considerable portion of Cuban's time and energy.

In an email to Inc., Cuban wrote that his primary motivation for leaving "Shark Tank" is to spend more time with his family, certainly a relatable rationale. "I have three kids, 14, 17, and 20," he wrote. "They are getting close to that age when they will be on their own. I want to try to have my summers to spend family time with them before they want to talk to me even less than they do today." However, with one more season to go before he leaves "Shark Tank," fans still have plenty of time to see Cuban before he departs.