In season 3 of Shark Tank, Mark Cuban officially joined the full-time panel of investors to help make business hopefuls’ dreams come true. Over the seasons, the Dallas Mavericks owner made several comments about possibly leaving the show to pursue other interests.

Is Mark Cuban Leaving ‘Shark Tank’?

Mark’s journey on Shark Tank kicked off in 2011 when he served as a guest star on the show. His popularity and banter with the other sharks led him to become a series regular the following year. The billionaire has seen some tremendous successes with the businesses he has invested in on the reality series, including Brightwheel, Dude Wipes and BeatBox.

Despite all of his accomplishments related to Shark Tank, Mark has made multiple remarks about potentially leaving the show. In September 2022, he hinted that his time as a shark was coming to an end, with the intention of focusing his attention on his public benefit corporation, Cost Plus Drugs.

“Part of me wants to quit,” he told Forbes at the time of his reality TV career. “They’ll survive fine without me.”

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After his comments shocked Shark Tank viewers, he clarified that he would be returning for another season after all.

“I told them I’m coming back at least for next year,” Mark, who shares kids Alexis, Alyssa and Jake with wife Tiffany Stewart, told the Dallas Observer via email in December 2022. “It was more about scheduling than anything. With a daughter in college, it’s harder to make up a time with her, but they moved shooting from July to June (not for me). So it turned out just fine.”

Season 15 of Shark Tank premiered on September 29, 2023. Mark appeared alongside Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner on the panel of investors. Two months later, Mark once again made shocking comments about his fate on the show.

Mark Cuban wears graphic T-shirt with jeans
Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Vox Media

Will Mark Cuban Return to ‘Shark Tank’ for Season 16?

In November 2023, Mark announced he would be leaving Shark Tank after season 16. During an interview on the “All the Smoke” podcast, the entrepreneur said, “It’s time,” adding, “I love [the show] because it sends the message that the American dream is alive and well.”

“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,” he reflected. “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? 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 meeting, the companies are still in operation. I’m way up.”

Shark Tank has not officially announced a premiere date for season 16.