Mark Cuban Takes Swing at Major League Baseball: Here’s the Team He’s Investing In

Billionaire Mark Cuban is well-known to various people around the world for his entrepreneurship, his run on "Shark Tank" and for his years owning the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

While Cuban no longer owns majority control of the Mavericks, he appears ready to step up to the plate in a new sport.

Mark Cuban Swings for the Fences

Over the years, Cuban has tried to acquire an MLB franchise, including the Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Cuban has his MLB wish now, with Harbinger Sports Partners being announced as an investor in the Athletics (aka the As).

Harbinger counts Cuban as a general partner and president. Atlanta Falcons minority owner Rashaun Williams is the founder of Harbinger.

"The experience of their principals across sports, media, and entertainment, combined with their long-term perspective, makes them a valuable addition to our ownership group as we work to build the future of the franchise in Las Vegas," the Athletics said in a statement, as reported by NBC Sports.

Harbinger has raised more than $460 million and this marks its first investment. The fund is targeting additional sports team ownership stakes.

The Athletics, formerly of Oakland, California, are planning a move to Las Vegas in 2028.

The team last made the MLB Playoffs in 2020, with three straight postseason berths. The Athletics won the World Series in 1989, making three straight World Series appearances from 1988 to 1990.

For the non-billionaires, one Major League Baseball team is publicly traded in the Atlanta Braves (NASDAQ:BATRA)(NASDAQ:BATRK).  

Betting on Las Vegas

For Harbinger and Cuban, the undisclosed investment amount in the Athletics may be just as much about investing in Las Vegas as it is the baseball team.

"Las Vegas represents one of the greatest sports investment opportunities of our generation," Williams said. "We’re not simply investing in a baseball franchise. We’re investing in a city that has fundamentally changed the economics of professional sports."

The Athletic’s move to Las Vegas will join other professional sports leagues to have teams there, with the Las Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) and Las Vegas Raiders (NFL) arriving in the city in 2017 and 2020, respectively. There are also rumors that an NBA team could be coming in the future.

"The next decade of sports ownership will look very different than the last. We believe Las Vegas will sit at the center of that transformation, and Harbinger intends to be one of the firms helping shape its future," Williams added.

For Cuban, being part of the Harbinger investment is about getting exposure to MLB, Las Vegas and diversifying his sports team ownership outside of the Mavericks. Cuban currently owns a 27% minority investment in the Mavericks after selling control of the team in 2023.

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