Mark Cuban reportedly leaving Shark Tank after Season 16 concludes

Shark Tank mainstay Mark Cuban is reportedly set to depart the iconic ABC series with the conclusion of Season 16, claiming “it’s time” for him to step away from the hot seat.

The American version of Shark Tank has been around since 2009 and for the most part, has maintained a consistent crew of investors. While the likes of Barbara Corcoran and Kevin O’Leary were involved from day one, Mark Cuban became an integral member from Season 3 onwards.

Moving forward, however, the beloved ABC show is reportedly in store for a major shakeup. Cuban has implied “it’s time” for him to move on from investing through the show, leaving a seat to fill.

With 15 seasons in the books, Cuban is reportedly eager to round out his tenure with one final round of pitches in Season 16. From there, the 65-year-old Dallas Mavericks owner is set to leave the show for good.

Cuban broke news of his Shark Tank departure at the 1:03:25 mark below. Click here if the video is unavailable in your region.

“This is our 15th year. Next year, our 16th year, is gonna be my last year. I’ve got one more year to go. It’s time.”

Having invested in “hundreds” of startups over the years through pitches on Shark Tank, Cuban will allegedly be walking away “down a little bit” in terms of cash, but “way up” on a business level given how many are “still in operation.”

As the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks to boot, Cuban is clearly one busy individual. Looking to reduce his workload somewhat by 2025, leaving Shark Tank is his first step in scaling back. Though as the first main cast member to depart the show since its inception in the US, it’s yet unclear how this may impact the series moving forward.

At the time of writing, none of Cuban’s Shark Tank co-stars have addressed the news of his planned departure at the end of Season 16. However, TVLine heard from a “Shark Tank source that Cuban’s exit is not official.” So perhaps there’s a chance it isn’t quite set in stone.

We’ll be sure to update you here with any further developments.