Mavs Owner Mark Cuban’s ‘Dear U.S. Government’ Letter for COVID-19 Times

DALLAS - Mark Cuban grew up in a working-class family in a suburb in Pittsburgh. Once a bartender on Greenville Ave. in Dallas, Cuban is now a billionaire entrepreneur.

Among his many investments, Cuban owns the Dallas Mavericks and is often in the spotlight for his opinions of the National Basketball Association’s policies. His political opinions also garner extensive media attention (at one point in 2015 he even “tossed the idea around” to run for President).

All of this is to preface the point of Cuban’s business advice amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

Dear government, here is why you require companies that receive bailouts to retain 100% of their employees. The cost of the bailout loan - eventual repayments will cost taxpayers less than the cost of government assistance programs for fired employees. Case closed.
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 19, 2020

If you run a business, BEFORE YOU FIRE ANYONE (or any more ), you have an obligation to yourself/ employees to find every gov loan option available today and those soon to come. Find the time. When the gov loans start you want to already be an expert and in line. #saveyourbiz
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 19, 2020

Agree or disagree with Cuban’s statements, our coverage of Cuban’s advice is apolitical - and so are his statements here.

Cuban has taken a strong position in the wake of the Coronavirus havoc. Cuban’s Mavericks just happened to be performing on national TV when the league’s decision to postpone the season came down. After initial shock (that went viral), Cuban took a leadership position then, expressing logical action with a calm demeanor.

"This isn’t about basketball, this isn’t about the Mavericks, this isn’t about when do we start, or do we start or how do we start," Cuban said. "This is a pandemic, a global pandemic, where people’s lives are at stake. I’m a lot more worried about my kids and my mom who is 82 years old, in talking to her and telling her to stay in the house, than I am about when we play our next game."

He immediately set up a method for American Airlines Arena workers to get paid despite the absence of games and then soon after committed to donate more than $100,000 to area nonprofits.

Since, he’s detailed his beliefs on how the NBA and sports are ‘vital to bringing us back together.'' In an era of argument, what Mark Cuban is advocating here is an era of action.