Mark Cuban is finally getting a foothold in Major League Baseball, but not in the way many expected. Cuban is part of Harbinger Sports Partners, a newly launched $750 million private equity fund that has acquired a minority stake in the Las Vegas Athletics. The investment marks Cuban’s first ownership interest in America’s favorite pastime after years of pursuing opportunities in the league.
This comes after Cuban sold a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks in 2023, a move he called a “mistake” on a recent podcast appearance. His arrangement unraveled with the Adelson family, as Cuban lost control over basketball decisions for a team he had spent 23 years transforming from a laughingstock into one of the NBA’s most valuable and culturally relevant franchises.
When Cuban bought the Mavericks in 2000 for $285 million, the team was mired in mediocrity and playing in front of half-empty arenas. He rebuilt the franchise’s identity almost entirely around fan experience and brand, turning the Mavericks into a media-savvy operation that eventually won a championship in 2011. He followed a similar path as a donor with his alma mater, the Indiana Hoosiers, who won the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship off the back of his savviness, especially involving the kind of recruitment possible with name and image likeness rules.
