Mark Cuban's viewpoint on tanking ignores the impact of gambling
Former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban, who still has a piece of the team, has an interesting take on tanking.
He thinks the NBA should embrace it.
Cuban's theory is that fans don't care about winning or losing. They care about experience.
"Few can remember the score from the last game they saw or went to," Cuban wrote on Twitter. "They can’t remember the dunks or shots. What they remember is who they were with. Their family, friends, a date. That’s what makes the experience special."
For most fans, the experience is undeniably more special if the preferred team wins. Cuban doesn't see it that way.
"Fans know their team can’t win every game," he said. "They know only one team can win a ring."
His point is that long-term hope is more important than short-term success, and that tanking helps achieve the goal of building a consistent contender.
"We didn’t tank often," Cuban said of his time in charge of the Mavericks. "Only a few times over 23 years, but when we did, our fans appreciated it. And it got us to where we could improve, trade up to get Luka [Dončić] and improve our team."
Cuban's bottom line? "The [NBA] should worry more about fan experience than tanking. It should worry more about pricing fans out of games than tanking. You know who cares the least about tanking? A parent who [can't] afford to bring their 3 kids to a game and buy their kids a jersey of their fave player Tanking isn’t the issue. Affordability and quality of game presentation are."
He may be right about experience and affordability, with one very important caveat. Sports leagues are currently cramming their pockets with gambling money. And gamblers definitely don't wager for "the experience."
They want to win. They need to assume both teams want to win the game as badly as the gambler wants to win the bet. And while a team's "tank" rating could be factored into the betting analysis, no one knows when or where a team is going to decide to give the starting five the night off in the hopes of not winning a given game.
Legalized gambling places a premium on the integrity of sport. The integrity of the games, and the integrity of the wagers on the games.
Tanking games is a stone's throw from fixing games. Would Cuban say fans don't care about fixed games, they care about the experience?
The NBA isn't the WWE or the Harlem Globetrotters. Tolerating anything that undermines the notion that, for both teams, "winning isn’t everything but it’s the only thing" invites a major scandal driven by bets gone bad because one of the teams wasn't really trying to win.
The reality is that tanking is happening, and that the NBA isn't doing enough to stop it. A major controversy, whether manifesting itself in legislation, regulation, prosecution, and/or litigation, is inevitable.
Detroit Lions president and CEO Rod Wood announces retirement
The Detroit Lions will have a new president and CEO before the 2026 NFL season arrives.
On Wednesday, Lions president and CEO Rod Wood announced his intentions to retire before the start of next season. Detroit said in its press release that the Lions' search for Wood's successor will begin immediately.
"I want to thank the Ford Family and ultimately Lions fans everywhere for trusting me to lead the Detroit Lions for the last 11 seasons," said Wood. "It has been an absolute thrill for me to lead this organization, and I am proud of what we have accomplished over that decade-plus. I am most proud of where I am leaving this organization, in the capable hands of Sheila Hamp, Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell," Wood said.
Detroit Lions principal owner and chair Sheila Hamp thanked Wood for his 11 seasons helping guide the franchise.
"The entire Ford family would like to thank Rod for his dedication and commitment to the Detroit Lions and the city of Detroit. Rod has been a trusted advisor and passionate leader for our organization and the entire NFL during that time and has prepared our organization for a promising future. While Rod will be missed, we are excited to work with Russell Reynolds Associates to find the next dynamic leader of our business," Hamp said.
Wood joined the Lions in 2015 after a three-decade career in finance and wealth management, including a 10-year stint as the head of Ford Estates, the Ford family office.
A native of Goodrich, Mich., Wood has an extensive background working with local government and business leaders on strategic initiatives to elevate Detroit as a key sports and entertainment destination. Per the release, Wood and his wife, Susan, are excited to spend more time together and with their family.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions president and CEO Rod Wood announces retirement
Sunderland Step On The Gas To Strengthen This Position: Is Regis Le Bris’ Plan Right?
Sunderland AFC want to bring in more attacking talent this summer. The club push to stay a permanent fixture in the top flight. Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke reports that head coach Regis Le Bris makes a new centre-forward his top priority. He wants more ways to change things up in the final third.
Sunderland want to sign a new striker
The Black Cats sit in a decent spot in the middle of the Premier League right now. Still, the coach feels that a high-volume goalscorer is the one thing they’re missing to really move forward. Brian Brobbey is currently the top man for the Wearsiders with five goals. Even so, Le Bris is determined not to let the team stall after such a strong start back in the big leagues.
Picking a Specialist
The Wearside bosses turned down an official bid from Everton back in January. Now, they might finally be ready to let Wilson Isidor go to make room for this tactical shift. The 25-year-old Frenchman could still make the national team if he finds his form again, but he’s found it hard to get minutes since the new signings arrived.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 02: Regis Le Bris, Manager of Sunderland, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Sunderland and Burnley at Stadium of Light on February 02, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
The stats show that the former Monaco man did a lot during the promotion run, but his impact has dropped off lately. He’s only played 64 minutes of league football since the start of the year. Le Bris wants to move away from versatile forwards who drift out wide.
Instead, he’s looking for a physical presence who can go toe-to-toe with tough Premier League defenders. Because they already have plenty of wide players, selling to a rival like Everton makes sense for the Sunderland board, assuming the price is right.
The mood at the Stadium of Light right now is all about being ruthless. Sentiment doesn’t decide who makes the team sheet anymore. If the club are serious about fighting for a Europa League spot by 2026-27, they have to swap inconsistent players for a striker who can bag twenty goals a year.
Moving Isidor on, since he hasn’t scored since October, gives the club a transfer fee while clearing his wages off the books to make room for a big-name signing. Fans should look for a busy summer. The North East giants are trying to turn their solid defence into a frontline that teams actually fear.
Raising Canes founder, LSU fan says 'I might have an in' to buy Saints
Plenty of New Orleans Saints fans have called for Gayle Benson to sell the team after a directionless half-decade, but she isn't budging. That doesn't mean speculation hasn't gone around about who could be the next owner of the black and gold. One name that's come up frequently is Todd Graves, the Raising Canes founder based out of Baton Rouge who some frustrated fans have pointed to as an ideal successor.
While he's been spotted with Benson at various events and collaborated with the Saints and NFL in a number of ventures, Graves hasn't openly talked about his interest in buying the team. But in a recent Super Bowl week interview with TMZ at Jason and Travis Kelce's star-studded New Heights podcast party, Graves finally made his ambitions known.
“For me, I love football,” Graves said. He's well-known as an LSU Tigers super fan, but Graves rubs shoulders with dozens of celebrities at his own Super Bowl suite each year. He continued: “I love the fanfare of it. I love the fact that coaches and teams have to put together this amazing play-calling, amazing teams, the athletes are incredible, so I love all that. It’s all about success and working hard and doing great and giving it all to the fans. It's all about success and working hard and doing great and giving it all to the fans. So maybe, someday, that makes sense for me, right?"
While he cautioned that he isn't in a rush to join the exclusive circle of NFL owners -- emphasizing that this is a "maybe someday down the line" conversation -- Graves did acknowledge his strong relationship with Saints owner Gayle Benson. He added: “She’s a really sharp lady. I really respect her. We’re good friends. I just really respect her. I learn from her. She’s an incredible businesswoman, and even more, she’s just great in the community. She gives everything back, but you know, maybe some day, if she’s like, ‘Here are the reins,’ who knows?”
When the interviewer joked that "You might have an in!" Graves had to laugh in agreement: "I might have an in, you know? But you never know."
For her part, Benson has repeatedly stated that the Saints will not go up for sale during her lifetime, and she drew up a will that contractually binds a new owner to keep the team in New Orleans, with proceeds from the sale to be distributed to charities citywide. Having an owner like Graves who was born and raised in Louisiana would reassure a lot of fans that the black and gold wouldn't be going anywhere. We'll see how it shakes out. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta has expressed his interest in expanding from the NBA to the NFL, too, so it's not like Graves would be the only bidder. But as he admitted, he might have an inside track once the day comes.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Raising Canes owner Todd Graves has interest in someday buying Saints
Share your best story of meeting an Eagles player in real life
It’s a slow time for the NFL news cycle now that the Super Bowl is over and we’re all just waiting for the Combine to start. So, here’s an offseason discussion question for you:
Where’s the most random place you’ve run into a Philadelphia Eagles player and who was it?
Or just tell us about any experience you have meeting an Eagles player (or multiple) in real life. If you have any pictures to share, even better!
Sign up for an account if you haven’t already (you’ll automatically see fewer ads when you’re logged in) and scroll down to the comment section below to weigh in with your experiences.
I’ve been a credentialed media member since 2013, so, I’m used to being around the players by now (flex). Once upon a time, though, I was just a 13-year-old kid at a dental appointment who happened to recognize the name “Troy Vincent Jr.” written in the sign in book as I was signing out. Soon thereafter, I saw Troy Vincent Sr. talking on the phone as I walked out of the building. Of course, I didn’t want to bother him so I didn’t say anything. That was the first time I ever saw an Eagles player in the wild and I was pretty excited about it at the time. He was one of my favorite players of that era.
That’s my story. What’s yours?