NBA Mavs Owner Mark Cuban Revokes Credentials for ESPN Reporters

Mark Cuban

Owner Mark Cuban has revoked Dallas Mavericks media credentials from ESPN.com reporters Marc Stein and Tim MacMahon this season.

According to The Star-Telegram, The media blackout also extends to all ESPN.com reporters wishing to cover Mavericks' games at American Airlines Center this season. The Mavericks are aired locally on ESPN Radio KESN 103.3 FM. ESPN is also a national broadcast partner with the NBA.

Cuban declined to discuss in detail the reasons behind the decision not to allow the two longtime Dallas-based reporters access to American Airlines Center during Mavericks’ games. The decision went into effect with Friday’s game against Portland, the second home game of the season.

“They’re not banned from the building,” Cuban said Sunday night. “They can still buy a ticket.”

Stein and MacMahon have covered the Mavericks, and the NBA, for years at ESPN.com and previously at the Dallas Morning News. The NBA league office is aware of the issue.

“We are in communication with both ESPN and Mark Cuban about this matter,” NBA spokesman Michael Bass said via email.

ESPN also issued a statement.

“We’re committed to thoroughly covering the Mavs and the NBA,” ESPN spokesman Josh Krulewitz said via email.

The Associated Press is reporting Cuban says his decision to revoke the credentials of two ESPN writers who cover his team was driven partly by concern that automated game reports could eventually replace human-generated content.

Cuban said Monday that he banned Stein and MacMahon to bring attention to the issue of companies using automation in sports coverage.

The Associated Press, in a partnership with Automated Insights, produces automated stories on minor league baseball but does not use the technology for most of its sports coverage. The AP has at least one reporter at all games in the four major professional sports and most major college football and basketball games.