Like him or not, Mark Cuban has proven that he knows what it takes to be a successful owner.  Since taking over the Dallas Mavericks they have done nothing but improve, and now they are playing for an NBA Championship.

Our image of most sports team owners is that of an old white haired businessman who is more concerned about making a profit than having fun.  Cuban is not that typical old man, but he is making big profits and having plenty of fun in the process.

However, Cuban is definitely not without a few flaws.  He has often been criticized for being too close to his team and becoming over involved with the games.  He’s been fined on numerous occasions for criticizing officials, running onto the court, and other rules violations.

These things aside, Mark Cuban is good at what he does.  He cares about his players and treats them as well as anyone in the business.  He can’t make his players perform better on the court, so he does everything within his power to ensure that they have the best facilities in the league.  Owners can’t have a major effect on the way athletes perform during a game, but what they can do is make sure that their players are able to get the best training and preparation necessary to be ready to play.

So my plea to Mark Cuban is to branch into Major League Baseball and purchase a team that needs all of the help they can get.  Please Mark Cuban, buy the Chicago Cubs.  The Cubs are currently owned by the Tribune Company in Chicago.  Why would Cuban be such a great fit for the Cubs you ask?

First of all, as bad as the Cubs have been lately, they still are a very profitable franchise.  They sellout constantly, and draw over 3 million fans per year.  Second, Cuban has had great success in a league that limits his spending.  Imagine what this guy could do in a league that doesn’t have a salary cap.  Cuban has proven that he will do whatever it takes to win.  With the Cubs, Cuban would be free to spend whatever money he chooses, free to do whatever he feels necessary to build a championship caliber team.  He could have the Cubs being a competitive team in no time.

I understand that there are a lot of people who feel that Cuban needs to take a step back from his team and take a more traditional role as an owner.  But can you really blame a guy for having as much fun as he’s having?  He has a lot of money, he’s using it to do something that most people would dream of doing, and he’s enjoying it.  That’s more than I can say about most of the money hungry owners in sports today.

As a fan, you just want to see your team succeed.  If a new owner can bring your team success, then who cares about whether or not that owner makes a few poor choices from time to time.  You think Dallas fans are complaining that Cuban gets fined too often?  They’re too busy getting ready to celebrate a championship.

Mark Cuban is a great owner.  He has done everything in his power to help the Mavericks win a championship.  I just hope that he brings his skills to Wrigley Field.  The players, the fans, the city…everyone would prefer Cuban over a newspaper company.  Mark Cuban could help the Chicago Cubs.  God knows they deserve it.


John would love to hear your thoughts. He can be reached at  john.addler@atomicsportsmedia.com