The billionaire entrepreneur and Indiana alum has reportedly donated funds to IU football program as Curt Cignetti brings the Hoosiers to national prominence.
Before Mark Cuban was a billionaire tech entrepreneur and owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks, he was a die-hard basketball lover within the state where that fandom is most represented in the U.S.
Cuban graduated from the Kelley School of Business at the Indiana University at Bloomington in 1981. During his time in the Hoosier State, Indiana was atop the college basketball landscape with legendary head coach Bob Knight leading the team to a national championship in the 1980-81 season just as Cuban was graduating.
Now, the Hoosiers are in the spotlight again, but for football.
Second-year coach Curt Cignetti is enjoying one of the sport's quickest and most drastic program turnarounds ever as he's earned a Big Ten championship and berth into the College Football Playoff Semifinals in the 2025 season.
Cuban is now pitching in to contribute to his alma mater's success on the gridiron.
According to Front Office Sports, Cuban has upped his financial support of Indiana Athletics after this magnitude of attention football has garnered over the last two years. His funds are expected to contribute to the Hoosiers' Name, Image and Likeness and Transfer Portal efforts as the program competes with high-spending blue bloods such as Alabama, Ohio State and Oregon.
Cuban had a suite-level view of the Hoosiers' dominant win over the Crimson Tide to advance past the Quarterfinals. Indiana became the only team ever to win its first CFP game after having a first-round bye into the quarters.
While Cuban has donated to Indiana before - notably gifting $5 million for a sports media center and $6 million to the rugby club - he has only recently begun contributing to IU Athletics.
In 2024, Cuban donated to the athletic department for the first time, due in part to Cignetti's 11-2 campaign in Year 1 and his prior connection to the coach. The two are just three years apart in age and were born in the same Pittsburgh-area hospital.
Before these last two years, Cuban had never financially backed any of the school's sports teams.
He acknowledged that his donations remain in the hands of athletic director Scott Dolson to determine how the money is used. However, Cuban's response to FOS suggests that the booming football program is in mind.
In an email, Cuban said he is "Already committed for this [transfer] portal," which opened this cycle on Jan. 2. He added a hint that this year's donation weighs more than any before.
"Let's just say they are happier this year than last year," he said.
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza currently leads the No. 1-ranked Hoosiers into the CFP semis where they'll face the Oregon Ducks. After this year, Mendoza is expected to declare for the NFL Draft where he is the top quarterback prospect next to Oregon's Dante Moore.
The transfer portal - potentially thanks to Cuban's help - has been the route to land Indiana's next signal-caller for 2026.
Former TCU Horned Frog QB Josh Hoover announced his commitment to Cignetti and Indiana this week. Other major offensive additions include star wide receiver Nick Marsh from Michigan State and former Boston College running back Turbo Richard.
According to 247Sports, Indiana has the fourth-ranked transfer portal class going into 2026 with nine total commits. On3's Transfer Portal Index has Indiana as the nation's top team in terms of the value of commits transferring into the program.
In Dallas, the Mavs co-owner's responsibilities have reportedly increased after team president Patrick Dumont fired embattled general manager Nico Harrison, whom Cuban hired back in 2021. Cuban will contribute to the search for the Mavericks' next GM.
His top-ranked and undefeated Hoosiers play No. 5 Oregon with a spot in the CFP National Championship on the line on Jan. 9 in Atlanta. The game airs on ESPN at 6:30 p.m.