The highly-anticipated season 16 of the hit ABC reality series Shark Tank will be Mark Cuban's final season as one of the sharks.
Since the earlier years of the series, Cuban has been a major staple of the series and his contribution has led many aspiring entrepreneurs to make their dreams come true thanks to his investments.
Why is Mark Cuban Leaving After Shark Tank Season 16?
In an interview, Cuban explained his decision to exit Shark Tank after the upcoming 16th season, which will premiere this Friday.
He shared that his decision stemmed from simply wanting to spend more time with his family and not wanting to miss out on any milestones of his children.
"I’m leaving just to spend more time with my kids — they’re teenagers now. When they were younger, my wife and I got to tell them where to be and when; now they ain’t listening to us," he said.
"We shoot in June and September, and just getting the opportunity now when they’re getting out of school to be able to spend time directly with them, that’s important. I’m tired of missing that."
Despite exiting the series, Cuban promised that he would still do some updates on the businesses that he invested in throughout his run.
He added, "I still have to do updates with the companies that I’ve invested in. So I’ll come back and visit, do my updates and I’ll turn it over to somebody."
What is the Future of Shark Tank After Mark Cuban's Exit?
Shark Tank is expected to move forward after Cuban's exit. The departure will not have any effect at all on the future of the series.
However, there is no doubt that viewers will miss Cuban's presence in the series and his contribution has always been valuable. He's also considered to be a fan-favorite shark among the audience.
Daniel Lubetzky has also joined as one of the main sharks in season 16. His promotion was seen as filling the gap of Cuban's absence on his departure happens.
Viewers should still expect the same experience even with Cuban's exit (although they might miss his charming presence), and the series will live on without the billionaire's appearance.
You could also still catch Cuban in his other business endeavors such as the Dallas Mavericks, Cost Plus Drugs, and other investments that he has made throughout his career.
Are you going to miss Cuban in the series? Let us know in the comments!
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