According to Mark Cuban, the NBA has its priorities wrong when it comes to tanking.
In a lengthy social media post on Tuesday, the former majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks claimed the league should focus on making games affordable rather than discouraging teams from losing on purpose.
“The NBA has been misguided thinking that fans want to see their teams compete every night with a chance to win,” Cuban wrote on X/Twitter. “Tanking isn’t the issue. Affordability and quality of game presentation are.”
Cuban, who oversaw basketball operations for the Mavericks before selling his majority stake to the Adelson and Dumont families in late 2023, pushed back against the conventional wisdom that fans need their teams to be competitive every game.
Instead, he argued that fans primarily seek hope for future improvement and memorable experiences at games.
“Few can remember the score from the last game they saw or went to,” Cuban continued. “They can’t remember the dunks or shots. What they remember is who they were with. Their family, friends, a date. That’s what makes the experience special.”
The entrepreneur contended that strategic tanking gives teams better access to draft picks, trades and cap room, all of which can help franchises build competitive rosters.
He noted the Mavericks tanked only a few times during his 23-year tenure, and when they did, fans appreciated the approach.
“It got us to where we could improve, trade up to get Luka and improve our team,” Cuban wrote, referring to star player Luka Dončić.
Cuban also criticized ticket pricing as a more pressing concern than tanking. “You know who cares the least about tanking, a parent who can’t afford to bring their three kids to a game and buy their kids a jersey of their fave player,” he wrote.
After purchasing a majority stake in the Mavericks for $285 million in 2000, Cuban transformed the franchise into a championship contender, winning an NBA title in 2011. He sold his majority interest for a valuation around $3.5 billion but maintained a minority stake and continued to oversee basketball operations.