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Mark Cuban made headlines when he sold a controlling interest in the Dallas Mavericks to casino magnates Adelson and Dumont families. The purchase is valued at $3.5 billion, and the new majority owners run Las Vegas Sands Corporation.
Meanwhile, Cuban remains the Mavericks' alternate governor with a 27 percent stake in the team. He will remain in charge of basketball operations. While Cuban remains a vital contributor to the Mavericks' success, he nearly imparted his business acumen to the National Football League.
Mark Cuban shared how he almost became an NFL franchise owner
In a recent appearance on former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman's Games with Names podcast, Mark Cuban revealed how he nearly bought the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Carolina Panthers. The man, with a $6.3 billion net worth, said:
“I could never really afford the NFL. You got to be all in and they don't come up with sale a lot. I had an opportunity to buy into the Steelers.
"A minority owner contacted me about selling, and I just didn’t want to be a minority owner. And then David Tepper bought the Panthers, and I guess they did reach out to me at some point, but I wasn’t into it."
The NFL diligently monitors team ownership, ensuring that no majority owner has minority shares with other teams. That's why Josh Harris sold his limited stake with the Steelers before leading the ownership group that bought the Washington Commanders from Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion.
Meanwhile, the Rooney family has owned the Steelers franchise since 1933, when Arthur Rooney Sr. paid a $2,500 franchise fee to establish an NFL club in Steel City. As of August 2023, the team is valued at $4.63 billion, the 18th most expensive franchise in the league.
David Tepper bought the Carolina Panthers from Jerry Richardson for $2.2 billion in 2018. The Panthers are now worth $4.1 billion, ranking 26th among Forbes' valuation of NFL teams. While Mark Cuban did not submit an offer, Tepper beat Ben Navarro for the Carolina franchise.
Sports teams' valuations are skyrocketing
In Jan. 2000, Mark Cuban purchased the Mavericks' majority stake from Henry Ross Perot Jr. for $285 million.
He earned a massive payday when he sold the controlling share to the Adelson-Dumont family. Likewise, the Mavericks' valuation will increase after the sale is approved by a majority vote by NBA owners.
The Dallas Cowboys are the highest-valued franchise in the NFL, at $9 billion. The New England Patriots are second at $7 billion, while the Los Angeles Rams are third, at $6.9 billion. The New York Giants ($6.8 billion) and the Chicago Bears ($6.3 billion) complete the top five.
