Mark Cuban facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mark Cuban
Cuban in 2025
Born	(1958-07-31) July 31, 1958 (age 67) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Education	Mt. Lebanon High School University of Pittsburgh Indiana University Bloomington (BS)
Occupation	Businessman Investor Television personality
Known for	Ownership of the Dallas Mavericks Investor on Shark Tank
Title	Minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks Founder of AXS TV & HDNet Co-founder of 2929 Entertainment Co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs Owner of Mustang, Texas Co-owner of Brondell
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Tiffany Stewart ​ (m. 2002)​
Children	3
Relatives	Brian Cuban (brother)
Awards	2011 NBA champion (as owner)

Mark Cuban (born July 31, 1958) is an American businessman, investor, and television star. He is famous for being the former main owner of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team and for being a "shark" investor on the TV show Shark Tank.

Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and showed an interest in business from a young age. He started several companies, including a computer company called MicroSolutions and an internet radio company called Broadcast.com. He sold these companies for millions and then billions of dollars.

Today, Cuban invests in many different industries, from technology to sports. He is well-known for his active role with the Mavericks, who won the 2011 NBA Championship with him as owner. He also appears on TV, gives to charity, and shares his thoughts on politics. As of May 2025, his net worth was estimated to be $5.7 billion by Forbes magazine.

Early Life and Starting Out

Mark Cuban was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 31, 1958. He grew up in a working-class family in the suburb of Mount Lebanon. His father, Norton, worked on car seats, and his mother, Shirley, had many different jobs.

Cuban started his first business when he was only 12 years old. He sold garbage bags to earn money for a pair of expensive sneakers. A few years later, he sold stamps and coins. When he was 16, the local newspaper went on strike, so he started his own business bringing newspapers in from another city.

Instead of finishing his last year of high school in the traditional way, he started college at the University of Pittsburgh. After a year, he transferred to Indiana University because it had one of the best business schools with the lowest tuition. In college, he started more businesses, including a bar and a disco-dancing lesson service. He graduated in 1981 with a degree in management.

Business Career

After college, Cuban moved to Dallas, Texas, in 1982. He worked as a bartender and then as a salesperson for a computer software store. He was fired for going out to find a new customer instead of opening the store one morning.

This led him to start his own company, MicroSolutions, with help from his former customers. MicroSolutions helped other businesses set up their computer systems. The company became very successful, and in 1990, Cuban sold it for $6 million. He made about $2 million from the sale.

Broadcast.com and Becoming a Billionaire

In 1995, Cuban and his friend Todd Wagner started a company called Audionet. They were both fans of Indiana Hoosier college basketball and wanted to listen to the games live over the internet. This was a new idea at the time, called webcasting.

Their company grew quickly and was renamed Broadcast.com. By 1999, during the "dot-com boom" when internet companies were becoming very popular, Yahoo! bought Broadcast.com for $5.7 billion in Yahoo! stock. This deal made Mark Cuban a billionaire.

Investing in New Companies

Cuban used his wealth to invest in many new companies, often called startups. He owned a search engine called IceRocket and invested in a file-sharing company called Red Swoosh, which was later sold for $19 million.

Cuban at the Web 2.0 Conference in 2005

He also invested in a company that made a high-tech toilet seat and another that created a website to uncover fraud in the stock market. In 2021, he bought the entire 77-acre town of Mustang, Texas, because a friend needed to sell it.

Starring on Shark Tank

Since 2011, Mark Cuban has been one of the main investors, or "sharks," on the popular ABC show Shark Tank. On the show, entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of wealthy investors, hoping to get money to grow their companies.

Cuban at TechCrunch Disrupt in 2014

Cuban became known for his smart questions and big investments. As of 2015, he had invested nearly $20 million in 85 companies on the show. Some of his biggest deals include a Halloween attraction company and a brand of ready-to-drink cocktails. His presence helped make the show a huge success, winning several Emmy Awards. He announced that the show's 16th season would be his last.

Cost Plus Drugs

In 2022, Cuban launched an online pharmacy called Cost Plus Drugs. The company's goal is to make prescription medicine much cheaper for people in the United States. It does this by being open about its prices and selling directly to customers, which cuts out the middlemen who often drive up costs.

Sports Businesses

Dallas Mavericks

Cuban as owner of the Dallas Mavericks in 2008

On January 4, 2000, Cuban bought a majority share of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team for $285 million. Before he bought the team, the Mavericks were not very successful. After he took over, they started winning much more often and made it to the playoffs almost every year.

Unlike most team owners who watch from private boxes, Cuban is famous for sitting with the fans and wearing a team jersey. His passion and involvement helped change the team's culture. In 2011, the Mavericks won their first and only NBA championship.

In 2023, Cuban sold his majority share of the team for about $3.5 billion but remains a minority owner with control over basketball operations.

Other Sports Ventures

Cuban has shown interest in owning teams in Major League Baseball and the NHL, but his bids were not successful.

He has also appeared on WWE television. In one famous appearance in 2009, he acted as a guest referee and later was slammed through a table by the wrestler Sheamus.

Political Views and Activities

Cuban with Arizona Governor Doug Ducey in 2019

Cuban has described himself as "fiercely independent" in his political views. He has supported candidates from both the Republican and Democratic parties. He is also a fan of the author Ayn Rand, whose books encouraged him to think for himself and take risks.

He has often been asked if he would run for president. In 2017, he said he would "definitely" run if he were single. He has considered running as a Republican or an independent but has never officially entered a race. In 2024, he supported Kamala Harris for president and campaigned for her.

Personal Life and Charity

Cuban and his wife, Tiffany Stewart, were married in 2002. They have two daughters and one son. The family lives in Dallas, Texas.

Cuban at an esports event in 2015

Cuban is also known for his charity work. In 2003, he started the Fallen Patriot Fund to help the families of soldiers who were hurt or killed in the Iraq War. He has also donated millions of dollars to his old college, Indiana University, to create a center for sports media and technology.

In 2020, he helped former NBA player Delonte West. He found West on the street, paid for his hotel, and helped him get into a treatment center.

Awards and Honors

• The Guinness Book of Records recognized Cuban for the "largest single e-commerce transaction" when he bought a private jet online for $40 million in 1999.
• 2011 NBA Champion as owner of the Dallas Mavericks.
• 2011 CEO of the Year by D Magazine.
• 2024 Included in the Time 100 list of the most influential people.

Cuban with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy during the 2011 Dallas Mavericks championship parade

Film and Television Appearances

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Mark Cuban para niños

• List of celebrities by net worth