Why is Mark Cuban leaving Shark Tank? Star says "it's time" after 16 years

Shark Tank has been on air for 15 years and is currently airing season 15. While many have come and gone from the show, there has been one person that fans have gotten used to seeing over the years. Business mogul Mark Cuban, who has been on the show since its inception, is ready to take a step back.

The NBA team owner said during Showtime's All The Smoke podcast that he will be leaving the ABC show after wrapping up next season.

"This is our 15th year. Next year, 16th year's gonna be my last year, so I've got one more year to go. It's time," he said.

Shark Tank season 15 is set to return with a brand new episode on December 8, 2023, on ABC.

---

Mark Cuban previously mentioned wanting to quit Shark Tank

While Mark Cuban's absence will be felt, it might not be as surprising and out of the blue as this is not the first time the business mogul has mentioned wanting to leave the show.

In October 2022, while on People Magazine's Every Day podcast, the Shark Tank star expressed his desire to take a step back to spend time with his family.

At the time, he told the host Janine Rubenstein that he was committed to come back for season 15. However, he further noted that he wasn't sure what would happen after that.

"And it's not cause I don't love the show. I absolutely love the show. I love what it represents. I love that kids watch it. And now we have entrepreneurs coming on that started watching when they were 12, 13, 14 years old," Cuban said.

The Shark Tank personality said that spending time with his family "trumps all other obligations." He added that when his daughter was in high school, their schedules aligned and it was easier to film the ABC reality series.

However, since she is now in college, he wanted to be able to spend as much time with her and the rest of the family as he could.

---

Mark Cuban praises the show

During the recent All the Smoke interview, Mark Cuban praised the show and emphasized how much he loves it. He noted that it sends a message that the "American dream is alive and well."

He added that through the show, he and the other Sharks have been able to train multiple generations of entrepreneurs, which is further going to inspire children to be innovative and business-minded.

He further chimed in about the pitches he gets while on Shark Tank and how he determines whether it's worth investing in. One of the "make or break" rules he has is based on the back story.

"I have this rule. The longer the backstory, the worse the deal."

Shark Tank season 15 will return with a brand new episode on December 8, 2023, on ABC.