Why Did Mark Cuban Leave 'Shark Tank'? The Tank Will Miss His Smile — And His Math

Fans of ABC series Shark Tank know that everyone has their favorite Shark. Whether it's cut-throat Kevin O'Leary, shrewd Barbara Corcoran, or brooks-no-nonsense Daymond John, there's a personality for everyone to enjoy.

But for those whose favorite Shark is the charismatic Mark Cuban, you're out of luck.

The charismatic billionaire announced in 2023 that he would be leaving the series and filmed his last episode in May 2025. The last season to air with Mark as a regular is Season 16, airing from late 2024 to early 2025, with the final episode with Mark as a Shark airing on May 16, 2025.

But why did he decide to leave the series? Here's what we know about his sweet reasons for leaving and what his fellow Sharks think about the big departure.

When Mark made the announcement in 2023 on the All the Smoke podcast that Season 16 would be his last, it seemed like a long way away. However, the day has come and gone and now fans are grappling with what it means that one of the most charismatic and omnipresent characters in the series is gone.

Luckily, he has a really good reason for deciding to leave. His three kids: Alexis, Jake, and Alyssa, who are teenagers now.

In May 2025, the entrepreneur and business mogul sat down with People to explain his reason for leaving the show, sharing that he wants to spend more time with his kids. He explained, "We always shoot in June and September, and in June, right when they're finishing school, I have to come here. When they were young it was like, 'OK, we're going to wait for Dad.'"

But, he added, "Now that they're teenagers, they aren't waiting for Dad at all, and in September they've just gotten back to school. I want to be there for that." He explained that he loved filming the show, calling it "easy and fun." But the stakes are high for investors who come seeking a deal, and it requires time investment from the Sharks to bring their dreams to life.

Mark mused, "I was ready to commit that time to my family and Cost Plus Drugs." Cost Plus Drugs is Mark's company that aims to make prescriptions more affordable.

While fans definitely have some thoughts about his departure, with some online lamenting the loss of "the best shark" and some jokingly saying they wish the show had axed the acerbic Kevin instead, they aren't the only ones.

Mark's fellow Sharks have some thoughts on the matter too.

In a promo vid for the final season, several of the Sharks gave their opinions about Mark leaving. Barbara shared that she would miss Mark's math the most and that she relies on him to come in clutch with the numbers.

Daymond jokingly said that he would miss Mark's touchy stomach, sharing a story about how the lactose-intolerant billionaire often eats products with dairy on set and then disappears for "20 minutes" at a time.

Kevin mused that he will miss how Mark rips apart anyone who comes on the show with "health claims."

"If it's not scientifically backed," Kevin shared, "he rips it to pieces. I like watching people get ripped to pieces."

While musing about what he'll miss the most, Mark himself said "the people," but added, "I can come back and visit." Fellow Shark Robert Herjavec reminded Mark that he'll "never really be gone" because with "over 8,000 deals" there will be updates through the years.

So while Mark is gone from the main line-up, he's not gone for good. As ABC said in the promo vid, "It's not a goodbye, it's a see you later!"