PMT DB
PMT DB
Mark Cuban on NBA Ratings, AI Technology, and Shark Tank
The NFL season is officially over, which means it is time for the drama of the NBA to take center stage. Big Cat and PFT Commenter waste no time jumping into 'This League' territory, specifically the brewing beef between the Memphis Grizzlies and Andre Iguodala. With Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks taking shots at a guy who hasn't even played for them this year, Big Cat is convinced that the timing of this flare-up is far from accidental.
Big CatThe recent NBA drama between the Warriors and Grizzlies was likely scripted
I'm convinced that there was a script going around to the Golden State Warriors to the Memphis Grizzlies... This is like sweeps week. Everyone in the NBA knew now's our time to strike and they did it with a perfect timing... It was almost a little bit too perfect and too coincidental.
The guys also touched on the Sixers getting absolutely smoked by the Heat in Miami. Big Cat pointed out that the Sixers have a serious chemistry problem between their two stars, but the real reason for the loss might be much simpler: South Beach.
Big CatAlways bet against cold-weather teams when they play in Miami
I've had a long-standing theory that any team from a cold-weather city or a city that's going through cold weather whenever they go to Miami bet against him. Yeah, of course and I mean, it's doubly true when you can see you can literally go on Instagram and see them at the game having a great time.
Mark Cuban on the State of the NBA
Mark Cuban finally makes his long-awaited appearance on the show. The Mavs owner hasn't forgotten about his previous meeting with Big Cat and PFT Commenter, where he famously declined to invest a million dollars in Big Cat’s brain. Cuban is unapologetic about his 'Shark' mentality, noting that he wanted the guys to struggle and hustle rather than getting liquid too early.
The conversation shifted to the declining TV ratings for the NBA, but Cuban isn't sweating it. He believes the traditional metrics are lying because the league's younger fanbase has completely moved away from cable.
Mark CubanNBA ratings are only down on TV because younger fans are cord-cutters
NBA ratings have taken a little bit of a dip totally different right... cord cutters, right? If your shows on television a nobody watch it... our numbers are down primarily on TNT which doesn't have as much carriage and as much linked to younger audiences... our streaming numbers the really really good.
Cuban also compared the viewing experience of the NBA to the NFL, arguing that basketball offers more bang for your buck in terms of actual gameplay per hour.
Mark CubanNFL games only have 12 minutes of actual action while the NBA has 48
The thing about football on TV... you only have to watch 12 minutes. There's only 12 minutes of action. In an NBA game, it's a little bit harder. Yeah, because you're watching 48 minutes of action, there's always something going on.
Sharks and Science Fiction
Things got weirdly futuristic when Cuban started listing off his various investments. He’s currently into companies that can turn human hair into diamonds and AI software that can replicate voices to translate content into different languages perfectly. He even suggested the PMT crew could use it to expand their reach.
Mark CubanAI will allow podcasts to be seamlessly translated into native languages like Chinese while preserving the original voice
I got this company Synthesia right where we can just over we could take train a voice to put on anybody... it looks like I'm saying it right because it matches all up... if we get you guys sitting there and training it for like 20 minutes and you want to have it done in Native Chinese or native Spanish or whatever. So it looks like you guys are doing the podcast.
Beyond the tech, Cuban remains a massive fan of rugby, a sport PFT has long championed as the 'sport of the future.' Cuban thinks the US version of the game finally has the right leadership to break through to the mainstream.
Mark CubanRugby will succeed in the US if the MLR can effectively sell and sponsor the sport
It's tougher to get going but it's as it turns out, Major League Rugby... George Killebrew just became the commissioner and so they're in good hands now. You got to get sponsors and you got to learn how to sell it... if it's going to happen, he's the guy to do it.
Hot Seat/Cool Throne and Guys on Chicks
In Hot Seat/Cool Throne, Big Cat discussed the shocking retirement of Mark Dantonio at Michigan State. While Dantonio claims he wants to spend more time with family, the timing—just after a massive bonus and in the middle of a lawsuit—is certainly 'efficient.' Big Cat couldn't help but wonder if another legendary coach might be eyeing the vacancy just to spite the Wolverines.
Big CatUrban Meyer would go to Michigan State just to beat Michigan 'from the other angle'
How bad would it be if Urban Meyer went there [Michigan State]? Oh, that'd be so fun and beat the fuck out of Michigan from the other angle. Yes, you know the thought has occurred to him in the last six hours.
Finally, the show wrapped up with a legendary 'Guys on Chicks' segment featuring a listener asking for advice on her husband's desire to pee through her legs while she's on the toilet. While most would call it a red flag, Big Cat saw it as a training opportunity.
Big CatPeeing through your partner's legs into the toilet is a great way to improve accuracy and bond
It's a test of your accuracy. It's actually exhilarating... There's no downside to this. Zero only upside. For the environment, accuracy, bonding time. Think about it. You don't get to spend time with your significant other when they're in the bathroom. Now you do.
Hopefully, the training helps his accuracy before he tries it out in the wild.
