Mark Cuban is once again putting his money where his heart is - back in Bloomington, back with Indiana University, and this time, back with a football program that’s finally giving him something to cheer about.
The billionaire entrepreneur and IU alum made headlines last week with news of a second major contribution to IU Athletics in as many years. And this time, it’s even bigger than the first.
Cuban, who graduated from IU’s Kelley School of Business in 1981, built his fortune by getting ahead of the curve in tech - specifically, making it possible to stream radio broadcasts online. That innovation?
It started with a simple goal: finding a better way to listen to Don Fischer call IU basketball games from afar. Instead of relying on friends to hold a phone up to a radio for two hours, Cuban engineered a solution that would eventually help shape the future of digital media.
Fast forward a few decades, and Cuban is using a slice of that fortune to back a program that, for most of his adult life, wasn’t exactly known for gridiron glory. IU football had long been an afterthought - a program more familiar with the bottom of the Big Ten standings than bowl game celebrations. But that’s changing, and Cuban’s investment is a clear sign he believes in the direction things are heading under head coach Curt Cignetti.
Cuban was on hand in Atlanta for IU’s emphatic 56-22 Peach Bowl win over Oregon - a performance that turned heads nationally and cemented the Hoosiers as one of college football’s surprise stories of the season. Speaking on the field and outside the stadium, Cuban made it clear: he’s not just a fan - he’s a believer.
“They earned it,” Cuban told the Sideline Stories podcast with Tricia Whitaker and Sydney Parrish. “The first time it was like, okay, let’s see what happens. Second time was, okay, now we know it works.”
That shift from cautious optimism to full-blown support mirrors the transformation of IU football itself - from a perennial underdog to a program with a clear identity and a tangible plan for success.
Cuban’s investment is more than symbolic. In today’s college football landscape, building a winning roster increasingly means navigating the transfer portal with the precision of an NFL front office.
That’s where Cignetti has made his mark - bringing in experienced, battle-tested players who can contribute right away. It’s a strategy that isn’t cheap, but it’s effective.
And it’s one that resonates with Cuban, who knows a thing or two about roster construction from his time as owner of the Dallas Mavericks.
“A lot of people can give money to chase the biggest names,” Cuban said in a separate interview with WTHR. “And I learned that in the NBA, right?
A name comes up and everybody wants to win the summer. Everybody wants to win the portal, but that’s not putting together a team.”
That’s the key word: team. Not hype, not headlines - but production. That’s what Cuban sees in Cignetti’s approach, and it’s why he’s all in.
“Coach and Scott [Athletic Director Scott Dolson] understand the roles that are needed,” Cuban said. “They get players that, like he says, ‘I want production, not potential.’ And to do that and be disciplined - that’s how you stay relevant, stay current, and keep on winning.”
Cuban’s backing of IU Athletics isn’t limited to the football field. In 2015, he donated $5 million to establish the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology - a cutting-edge facility that gives IU students hands-on experience with the latest in video, broadcasting, and digital storytelling. It’s housed inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, the heart of IU basketball.
And just this past October, he gave another $6 million to support IU’s rugby club - a reminder that his commitment to the university spans more than just the high-profile sports.
But for Cuban, it all comes back to gratitude.
“Whatever I give to IU, it will only be a fraction of what Indiana University gave to me,” he said when the tech center opened.
Now, with the football program on the rise and a new era of competitiveness taking shape in Bloomington, Cuban’s contributions are helping fuel something bigger than just wins and losses - he’s helping build a sustainable culture of success. And if IU keeps trending the way it has under Cignetti, this may only be the beginning.