At CES, Cuban dishes on Mavs, Musk
WHAT we gleaned from Mark Cuban on Wednesday at Fontainebleau:
■ He has blocked Elon Musk on Musk’s own X app.
■ The Dallas Mavericks are not moving to Las Vegas.
■ An expansion team
“most likely” will come to Las Vegas.
■ He left “Shark Tank” because 15 years is enough.
■ “Social” is the wrong word to describe social-media apps.
Cuban appeared in a CES event sponsored by Brand Innovators, an international network of Fortune 500 brand marketers, at Fontainebleau’s Moonstone Event Center. Shelly Palmer, CEO of The Palmer Group and leading expert in technology, interviewed Cuban on stage for 30 minutes in front of a couple hundred conventioneers.
Palmer is hosting the threeday series of networking events, stage conversations and VIP dinners, all tied into the annual CES trade show.
Cuban showed up in his usual unbranded gray hoodie and blue jeans. His casual attire and demeanor did not exude the image of a network TV star, or a business tycoon who last month sold his majority interest in the Mavericks to Miriam Adelson for a reported $3.5 billion.
During the wide-ranging session, Palmer asked Cuban about Cuban’s ongoing social-media feud with Musk. In a spree of posts late Monday and early Tuesday, Musk chided Cuban for his support of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
The two argued after Cuban defended United Airlines’ diversity goal in its pilot training program. Cuban posted data related to the program’s diversity initiatives. Musk responded, “You’re a liar,” and suggested the two settle the dispute in a UFC match.
Musk further escalated the feud by using an inflammatory insult to describe Cuban in a post that has since been deleted.
“What did he say?” Palmer asked. “I don’t want to say,” Cuban said. “It starts with an R and ends with a T.”
Cuban later confirmed what many had already seen in abundant social media posts that Musk had called him a racist.
Then Cuban said, “I did the only thing a sensible person would do on X. I blocked him.”
The crowd erupted in laughter.
“The only person who would really know is him,” Cuban said of blocking X’s owner. “That just made me laugh.”
Cuban also offered, referring to his debate with Musk, “I like to (mess) with him.” More laughing.
“Look, Twitter is not an easy business to run. I give Elon all the credit in the world,” Cuban said. “He put his money where his mouth is, and gets to do whatever he damn well pleases with the platform. Would I do it the same way? No.”
Cuban had earlier asserted that social media is no longer a “social” device.
“Social is the wrong word to describe the applications that we use to communicate. There’s nothing social about X-slash-twitter, or even Instagram, right?” the billionaire said. “You name it. Are there really any applications that are truly social anymore? Remember the early days of Twitter, going to South By Southwest where you just met this really cool person and were talking about this and this? Does that happen anymore?”
Cuban also said he decided to walk away from “Shark Tank” after 15 years simply for personal reasons.
“I’ve got one more year, and 15 years is enough, right?” Cuban said. “I love the show and what it stands for. Kids who are now 20 years old come up and say, ‘Oh, I grew up watching you on ‘Shark Tank.’ I’m like, ‘Thanks (expletive!)’ ”
Cuban’s kids are teenagers. He wants to capture that moment of fatherhood while he can.
“While they’re still close to the house, and are dependent on me to some level, I want to be able to spend more time with them,” the 65-year-old entrepreneur said. “That’s the whole reason.”
In a brief chat just after the event, Cuban reiterated the Mavericks would not relocate to Las Vegas. He remains a minority shareholder, and is expected to continue to run basketball operations.
“They are staying in Dallas,” Cuban said. “That’s a given.”
Cuban agreed the play in Las Vegas is for an expansion team.
“I can’t speak for the NBA, but I think there’s a good chance you’ll get a team here,” Cuban said. “The thing about the NBA is, how often do teams move? It’s rare.”
The New Jersey Nets moved to Brooklyn — in the same market — in 2012. The Seattle Supersonics moved to Oklahoma City in 2008. As Cuban said, “My guess, and it’s only a guess, is you’ll see expansion here.”
Your Vegasville Moment
Within minutes of speaking with Cuban, I encountered him walking at fast pace, alone and unrecognized, on Fontainebleau’s second level near the Bleaulive Theater entrance.
I asked, “You’re walking through here, unabated?” He answered, “I gotta get my exercise!”
A few paces later, I overheard a guy on his cell, “Yes! I said, ‘Hi Mark!’ And he said, ‘Hi!’ back! He just came through here.”
Cool Hang Alert
Guitar great John Wedmeyer and the Hot Mops play Silver Sevens at 4100 Paradise Road from 8:30 p.m.-midnight. This bunch straight tears it up, brothers and sisters. Toscha Comeaux is the featured singer. No cover. Free parking. Twenty-one and over. Get there.