Mark Cuban, longtime owner of the Dallas Mavericks, has taken a minority ownership position in the franchise that is set to become the Las Vegas Athletics. The move arrives as Cuban continues to voice dissatisfaction with his reduced role in the Mavericks after the December 2023 sale of a controlling interest to Miriam Adelson and her family. While he still retains a sizable share of the NBA team, the lack of operational input has prompted him to look elsewhere for an active ownership role.
Cuban’s frustration stems from the terms of the 2023 transaction, which transferred majority control without preserving any decision-making authority for him. He has publicly expressed regret over selling the team to the Adelsons, noting that the agreement included a clause that could shrink his ownership from 27 % to as low as 7 % in the future. The absence of a control provision means every roster move, coaching hire and arena discussion now occurs without his input.
The dispute has spilled into the courtroom, where Cuban has sued the Mavericks’ new owners to force discovery on the proposed new arena plans. By seeking documents related to the arena project, Cuban hopes to protect his remaining financial interest and to keep the Mavericks’ future direction transparent to his remaining shareholders.
To re-enter the ownership arena, Cuban aligned with a group of investors under the banner of Harbinger Sports Group. He serves as the group’s president, while former Atlanta Falcons minority owner Rashaun Williams acts as founder and chief investment officer. Steve Cannon, who previously oversaw operations at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, is the chief executive, and Jonathan Mariner, a former chief financial officer for Major League Baseball, functions as managing partner. The exact percentage of the Athletics stake remains undisclosed.
The Athletics’ planned relocation to Las Vegas offers Cuban a fresh avenue to influence a professional sports franchise, something he has missed since losing day-to-day control of the Mavericks. His involvement underscores a broader pattern of wealthy owners diversifying into new markets, especially as Las Vegas continues to attract major league teams. For Cuban, the venture represents both a strategic business move and a personal effort to regain the hands-on involvement that defined his early years as a team owner.
