VERY MUCH.
BLAKE BURMAN AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE'LL GET A SET OF THE LAND
THIS, IS THE LAST DAY OF THE
MONTH, THE LAST DAY OF THE
QUARTER.
IT HAS BEEN A SO SO MONTH AND A
SO SO QUARTER BUT A OFF THE
CHARTS YEAR FOR MAJOR MARKET
AVERAGES.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE A
BILLIONAIRE, THAT YOU CHART THIS
THING TICK BY TICK.
I SERIOUSLY MARK CUBAN DOES.
HE IS A BILLIONAIRE MANY TIMES
OVER, AND OWNS DALLAS MAVERICKS
WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS A GREAT
BASKETBALL TEAM.
HE IS OUR SPECIAL GUEST THIS
HOUR.
HE HAS A LOT OF THINGS HE COULD
BE DOING BUT DECIDED TO SPEND AN
HOUR WITH ME, WHICH IS WORTH THE
PRICE OF ADMISSION.
MR. CUBAN, THANKS FOR COMING.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, NEIL.
NEIL: WHEN YOU SEE ALL THE STUFF
GOING ON, POLITICS BACK AND
FORTH, IMPEACHMENT BACK AND
FOURTH YOU'RE NOT INVESTING TICK
BY TICK?
>> NO.
NEIL: WILL THE MARKETS DON'T
LIKE THEY HAVE A FUNNY WAY OF
SHOWING THAT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> OVER THE LONG TERM, COMPANIES
WILL DO, STOCKS WILL REACT TO
THE COMPANY'S PERFORMANCE BUT
OBVIOUSLY WHEN THERE IS A LOT OF
UNCERTAINTY COMPANIES HAVE TO
PAY ATTENTION THEN, PLAN
ACCORDINGLY.
THAT IMPACTS THE STOCKS PRICES
SHORT TERM.
NEIL: IN TECHNOLOGY WHERE YOU
MADE YOUR FORTUNE, VERY GOOD
TIMING INVESTMENTS AND BUYING OF
COMPANIES AT KEY MOMENTS, THAT
IS GOING TO BE A TOUGHER CALL IN
THIS ENVIRONMENT.
DO YOU BUY THAT?
>> IT DEPENDS ON THE COMPANY.
IF YOU ARE SELLING EQUIPMENT,
WANT TO SELL TO CHINA, WANT TO
SELL GLOBALLY, YOUR SUPPLY
CHAINS ARE AT RISK, YEAH IT
MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
IF YOU'RE DEVELOPING SOFTWARE,
AN APP PRIMARILY IN THE UNITED
STATES IT IS JUST NOISE.
NEIL: YOU AND THE PRESIDENT HAVE
HAD SORT OF THIS, WOULD I CALL
IT A TEMPESTUOUS RELATIONSHIP.
>> I WOULDN'T SAY THAT.
SOME DAYS WE'RE FRIENDS, SOME
DAYS WE'RE NOT.
NEIL: YOU HAD SAID A FEW MONTHS
BACK, AROUND THE TIME WE CHATTED
THAT YOU STILL THINK ODDS ARE
THAT HE WOULD GET REELECTED?
>> DO YOU STILL FEEL THAT WAY?
>> I THINK IT IS CHANGED,
CHANGED CONSIDERABLY.
I'M NOT TRYING TO HANDICAP IT.
WHEN SOMEONE ASKED ME THREE
MONTHS AGO, FOUR MONTHS AGO, I
SAID ON THAT DAY HE WOULD HAVE
WON.
I THINK NOW THERE IS
UNCERTAINTY.
YOU SEE THAT HOW HE RESPONDS TO
THINGS.
NEIL: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
>> HE DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE THE
SAME CONFIDENCE LEVELS IN THE
PAST.
CALLING PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE.
IF YOU'RE COMPLETELY CONFIDENT
THERE IS NO REASON TO CALL HIM
TO ASK FOR A FAVOR ABOUT A
POLITICAL OPPONENT WHETHER OR
NOT IT WAS A FAVOR.
THERE IS NO REASON --
NEIL: DO YOU THINK THAT THERE IS
HIGH CRIME OR MISDEMEANOR,
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I CAN'T MAKE THAT JUDGMENT.
WE HAVE POLITICIANS THAT DRIVE
THEMSELVES CRAZY.
NEIL: I LIKE A GUEST THAT SAYS I
DON'T KNOW.
I MADE A COO REAR ON THAT.
THERE IS A LOT OF AJITA TERM
GOING ON AN ITALIAN TERM.
>> I KNOW IT VERY WELL.
NEIL: THEY'RE NERVOUS, FEELING
PRESSURE, SHOULD THEY BE?
WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT THAN
SOME OTHER ISSUES?
>> IF YOU'RE CALLING A FOREIGN
LEADER AND EVEN DISCUSSING A
POLITICAL OPPONENT THAT REFLECTS
SOMETHING.
I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE WAS
TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
ONLY HE DOES, BUT WHY WOULD YOU
DO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?
THAT IS THE QUESTION WE DON'T
HAVE ANSWERS TO.
MAY BE A ONE-OFF, HE WAS
CURIOUS, SOMETHING THAT CAME
INTO HIS MIND AT THE TIME OR
MAYBE PART OF A BIGGER ISSUE.
MAYBE HE IS FEELING THE HEAT.
MAYBE HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE
ELECTION IN 2020.
AGAIN I DON'T KNOW, OVER TIME
WE'LL FIND OUT.
THE REAL QUESTION IS, IF HE IS
UNCERTAIN AND CALLING FOR,
BECAUSE OF THAT UNCERTAINTY WHO
ELSE DID HE CALL?
IF YOU'RE UNCERTAIN ABOUT AN
ELECTION, WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR HELP OR NOT HE IS SOMEONE TO
CALL OTHERS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
HE ALWAYS WANTS TO CALL PEOPLE
AND GET FEEDBACK.
NEIL: RIGHT.
>> MAYBE HE WAS JUST DOING THAT
BUT WHO ELSE IS HE CALLING?
NEIL: YOU HAVE A HORSE RACE IN
YOURSELF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT AT
YOUR CORE.
>> NO, FAR FROM BEING A
DEMOCRAT.
NEIL: YOU DON'T LIKE THE
PRESIDENT.
YOU DIDN'T WANT HIM.
>> NOT THAT I DON'T LIKE HIM I
DIDN'T THINK HE WAS BEST CHOICE
AT THE TIME.
NEIL: BUT VOTE FOR HILLARY?
>> WHAT?
NEIL: DID YOU VOTE FOR HILLARY?
>> YES I DID.
IT WAS MORE THAN I DIDN'T LIKE
TRUMP AT TIME.
NEIL: HAVE YOU GUYS TALKED?
>> WE DISAGREE ON SOME THINGS
AND THINGS WE DISAGREE ON I
DON'T BRING UP AND HE DOESN'T
BRING UP.
IF IT WERE UP TO ME I WOULD GET
ALL POLITICAL PARTIES.
THAT IS A BIG SOURCE OF AT JITA.
EVERY PLAYS FOR THEIR TEAM.
EVERYBODY IS A BANDWAGON FAN.
WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES.
FUTURE PRESIDENTS IT WILL BE
DIFFICULT TO OFFER SOME TYPE OF
LEADERSHIP BECAUSE WE'RE SO
EXCITED ABOUT OUR OWN TEAM AS
OPPOSED DOING WHAT IS RIGHT FOR
THE COUNTRY.
>> IS THE LAST TIME YOU TALKED
TO THE PRESIDENT?
YOU CAN WHISPER?
>> I THINK FOUR OR FIVE WEEKS
AGO.
NEIL: BEFORE THE LATEST DUSTUP.
>> YEAH.
NEIL: YOU THINK THAT CHANGED THE
COMPLEXION OF THE DATE?
>> IT HAS CHANGED THE CALCULUS
OF THE FUTURE ELECTIONS AND
GENERAL DEBATE ABOUT POLITICS,
YES.
NEIL: LET ME SWITCH GEARS ON
THAT, MARK, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
A LOT OF BUSINESSMEN HAVE BEEN
SAYING THIS IS THE REASON WHY
THEY'RE HOLDING BACK ON THEIR
CAPITAL SPENDING PLANS, THE
REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT HIRING
OR -- IT SEEMS LIKE WHAT
RETAILERS USED TO SAY IF THEY
HAD A BAD QUARTER BLAME IT ON
THE RAIN.
THEY NEVER CREDITED THE IT ON
THE SUN.
>> RIGHT.
NEIL: A LOT OF THAT IS EXCUSE
MAKING.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> DEPENDS ON THE COMPANY.
IF YOU HAVE A GLOBAL SUPPLY
CHAIN YOU NEED TO BE PAYING
ATTENTION.
IF YOU DO BUSINESS WITH CHINA OR
LIKE TO DO BUSINESS WITH CHINA
YOU NEED TO BE PAYING ATTENTION.
IF YOU'RE BUYING AND SELLING
T-SHIRTS MADE IN CHINA OR
VIETNAM AND YOU HAVE A GLOBAL
SUPPLY CHAIN YOU --
NEIL: DO YOU HAVE ANY BUSINESS
IN CHINA YOURSELF?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I HAVE A COMPANY THAT SELLS
BIKES, GUARDIAN BIKES.
THEY HAVE SURE STOP TECHNOLOGY
THAT THERE IS ONE PART THAT IS
EXCLUSIVELY MADE IN CHINA AND SO
WE CAN'T SWITCH OUR SUPPLY
CHAIN.
IT IS THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN GET
THIS ONE PART.
NOT LIKE WE CAN MOVE TO VIETNAM,
WE CAN'T MOVE IT BACK TO THE
UNITED STATES.
ON TOP OF THAT WE'RE PAYING
TARIFFS.
WE'VE APPLIED FOR WAIVERS.
WE HAVEN'T HER BACK YET.
NEIL: WHO IS GOING TO DECIDE
THAT?
IF IT IS THE PRESIDENT YOU MIGHT
NOT GET THAT.
>> MIGHT NOT.
THAT IS A BIG IMPACT FOR SMALLER
COMPANIES IN PARTICULAR.
NEIL: BUT YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY
DEALING WITH CHINA?
YOU HEAR THEY HAVE ROUGH
ROUGHSHOD OVER U.S. INTERESTS
AND U.S. CEO COMPANIES YOU HAVE
TO PRACTICALLY GIVE THEIR
FIRSTBORN FOR THEM TO DO
BUSINESS WITH THEM.
DO YOU SHARE THAT?
>> THERE ARE CHALLENGES DOING
BUSINESS IN CHINA NO QUESTION
ABOUT IT BUT YOU KNOW THAT GOING
IN.
THE BIG QUESTION WHAT IS THE
ENDGAME.
IF PRESIDENT XI CALLED UPS YES,
YES TO EVERYTHING, PRESIDENT
TRUMP, THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN
WHAT HAPPENS?
YOU COULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT IF
WE COMPLETELY OPEN UP CHINA WILL
WE MOVE MORE FACTORIES TO CHINA
NOW.
IF WE'RE SELLING A LOT MORE TO
CHINA, IT HAS A LOT MORE PEOPLE
THAN WE DO, WHY WOULDN'T
FACTORIES JUST MOVE THERE
BECAUSE IT IS MORE CENTRAL --
NEIL: A LOT OF THEM THROUGHOUT
THIS, EVEN BEFORE PRESIDENT
TRUMP CAME INTO OFFICE WERE
SLOWLY HEDGING THEIR BETS IN THE
REGION MOVING TO VIETNAM AND
THAILAND THAT TREND WILL LIKELY
CONTINUE.
>> THAT DEPENDS WHAT HAPPENS.
IF PRESIDENT XI SAYS YES, ALL
THE ROADBLOCKS ARE GONE NOW THE
MARKET IS OPEN UP TO ALL
AMERICAN BUSINESSES IT IS NOT
LIKE MORE FACTORIES WILL OPEN IN
THE UNITED STATES.
IT IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE.
NOW ALL OF SUDDEN IF
PRESIDENT XI SAYS, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
WE'LL RESPECT ALL AMERICAN IP.
NOT LIKE COMPANIES DON'T DO
ESPIONAGE.
THAT ESPIONAGE JUST MOVES TO A
DIFFERENT LOCATION, IF YOU WERE,
DIFFERENT FOCUS.
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL
WHAT WE ASK FOR, REALLY FOLLOW
THROUGH ON THE CONSEQUENCE WHAT
IS WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH.
NEIL: LET ME GET YOUR TAKE ON A
SEPARATE DEVELOPMENT GETTING
HEADLINES OUT OF CALIFORNIA
WHERE THEY'RE MOVING TO PAY
COLLEGE ATHLETES.
>> RIGHT.
NEIL: NCAA DOES NOT FOLLOW THAT
MOVE.
CALIFORNIA IS AN INCUBATOR FOR
THIS.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT.
>> NCAA ONE IS A MESS.
THEY'RE A BIG SORT OF THE
PROBLEM.
THEY'RE VERY BUREAUCRAT I CAN.
THEIR INTERESTS ARE THE NO
REALLY ALIGNED WITH ALL THEIR
SCHOOLS.
CERTAINLY NOT ALIGNED WITH
PLAYERS INTERESTS.
SET THAT ASIDE, WHEN IT COMES TO
PAYING PLAYERS AS EMPLOYEES YOU
HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF WHAT
HAPPENS IF THEY GET FIRED?
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WANT TO FIRE
THEM?
DO WE WANT TO FIRE STUDENT
ATHLETES?
YOU'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH?
YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SCHOLARSHIP?
WE'LL CUT YOUR PAY?
HOW DOES RELATIVE PAY WORK?
I THINK I DESERVE MORE.
I'M THE QUARTERBACK.
NO, I'M THE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN I
DESERVE MORE.
NEIL: YOU AS A TEAM OWNER, THE
MAVERICKS OWNER ARE YOU MORE OR
LESS INCLINED TO LOOK AT A
CALIFORNIA COLLEGE ATHLETE WHO
MIGHT AUTOMATICALLY COME IN WITH
A HIGHER PAY REQUEST BECAUSE HE
IS GETTING PAID A LOT AT THE
STATE LEVEL AND COLLEGE LEVEL.
>> IN THE NBA THERE IS UNIONS.
THAT MAKES OUR LIVES A LOT
EASIER.
NEIL: WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE?
>> NO.
WITH KIDS IN BASKETBALL THEY
DEVELOPED SUCH FOLLOWINGS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA THEY ARE BRANDS
BEFORE THEY GET TO US.
LOOK AT ZION WILLIAMS.
HE HASN'T PLAYED A GAME IN THE
NBA BUT EVERYBODY KNOWS HE WHO
IS.
NEIL: IF THIS GOES NATIONAL, IT
IS NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION OTHER
STATES PURSUE IT.
I DON'T KNOW LEGALLY IF THEY
CAN, THEN WHAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK, MY GUESS IS, THIS IS
ONLY A GUESS THE NCAA MAY
IMPLODE AS IT APPLIES TO
FOOTBALL.
YOU MAY SEE THIRD PARTIES COME
IN WITH A LOT OF MONEY, YOU KNOW
WHAT?
THIS IS ABOUT THE CASH.
YOU NEED TO FOCUS ON YOURSELF AS
A SCHOOL AND ECONOMICS AS AN
ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT, LET US
INVEST IN YOU.
EXTRACT YOURSELF FROM THE NCAA.
GO WITH OTHER SCHOOLS AND WE'LL
CREATE OUR OWN ORGANIZATION AND
CREATE OUR OWN ECONOMICS BECAUSE
NOW IT IS ABOUT THE MONEY.
WE'LL BE BRUTALLY HONEST ABOUT
IT.
WE WILL PAY THE ATHLETES.
FOCUS THIS ON A TRUE BUSINESS.
THE NCAA DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO
RUN IT AS A TRUE BUSINESS.
LIKE I SAID THE INTERESTS OF THE
NCAA AS AN ORGANIZATION ARE NOT