Harbinger Sports Partners Makes First Major Sports Investment

Mark Cuban is diversifying his interests in the world of sport after the investment firm he is part of, Harbinger Sports Partners, purchased a minority stake in the Athletics of Major League Baseball. This follows on from a very exciting move on behalf of the team as it gets ready to move to Las Vegas and build a new stadium.

This marks the first foray into owning a sports team for Harbinger Sports Partners, which is an investment firm run by Mark Cuban, Atlanta Falcons minority owner Rashaun Williams, former Major League Baseball executive Jonathan Mariner and former Falcons executive Steve Cannon. No financial terms of the deal have yet been revealed.

The Athletics have confirmed that Harbinger Sports Partners is now a shareholder in the club and the skills and experience they have in sports, media and entertainment is a very welcome addition.

Investment Comes Before Athletics’ Las Vegas Transition

Currently, the Athletics are gearing up for a huge transformation as they are planning to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028. In this regard, they are building a new $2 billion dollar stadium in Nevada, which will not only be a home for baseball but will also act as an entertainment hub.

The Athletics are playing in Sacramento on a temporary basis, while constructing their new stadium in Las Vegas. While it seems that the process is underway, the Athletics will complete their commitment in Sacramento before relocating to Las Vegas.

Harbinger Sports Partners expects the Las Vegas market to have a significant impact on the future of sports and entertainment. As stated by Rashaun Williams, the company views the Las Vegas market to be a crucial aspect of the next step in the world of sports ownership.

Mark Cuban’s Long-Standing Interest in Baseball Ownership

The investment in Athletics was Cuban’s longstanding dream, since he had tried buying various MLB clubs in the past but unsuccessfully. Some of these attempts were at purchasing the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, he eventually joined the group that bought the Athletics.

Mark Cuban is known as the owner of NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. In 2000, he acquired majority ownership of the club. He then sold controlling ownership to another person in 2023 but remained a minority shareholder.

Apart from basketball, Mark Cuban has made investments in other sporting activities through the creation of Unikrn and the Brampton Honey Badgers in Canadian Elite Basketball League.

Harbinger Plans More Sports Investments

Harbinger Sports Partners was formed in 2025 and concentrates its investment activities in professional sports franchises. Harbinger Sports Partners is currently looking for other investment options and is going to announce further investments in the near future.

The management team of Harbinger Sports Partners possesses both an investment background and knowledge of the sports industry. Jonathan Mariner used to be the CFO of Major League Baseball, whereas Steve Cannon worked with the organization related to the Atlanta Falcons and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Athletics Build Toward a New Era in Las Vegas

This investment comes at a time when the team is trying to build an identity in Las Vegas as well as a young team that will bring success in the long run.

The construction of the stadium will be a lot more than just for baseball, as the plan is to have a year-round entertainment site along the Las Vegas Strip. This collaboration of Harbinger Sports Partners provides yet another investment group with experience to the Athletics’ next era.

With Cuban having a businessman’s background and Harbinger focusing on sports-related investments, the investment reflects growing faith in the future of the Athletics and Las Vegas' increasing presence in professional sports.