Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, clarified that only two ESPN media members will be denied credentials to cover the Mavericks home games this season. Amidst reports that all ESPN reporters will be banned from covering his team, the multibillionaire Mark Cuban made perfectly clear that only the credentials of Tim MacMahon and Marc Stein will be revoked.
Earlier reports from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram claim that the ban is for all ESPN reporters. However, Mark Cuban, speaking with USA Today's Sam Amick, revealed that only Tim MacMahon's and Marc Stein's press credentials for the 2016-2017 season are revoked. Mark Cuban implied that the decision to pull MacMahon's and Stein's credentials has nothing to do with editorial. Mark Cuban added, "It's a much bigger issue. ESPN can write whatever they want, just like always. This has nothing to do with what we did."
Mavs owner @mcuban to @USATODAYsports on the decision to revoke season credentials of @ESPNSteinLine & @espn_macmahon pic.twitter.com/rgKNQANSck
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) November 7, 2016
Stein and MacMahon are both Dallas native. Stein used to cover the Mavericks for The Dallas Morning News back before Cuban bought the team in 2000. MacMahon on the other hand has covered the Mavericks for several years as the team's full-time beat writer before his role in ESPN expanded. According to a report from Tim Cato of SB Nation's Mavs Moneyball, Cuban was unhappy that ESPN failed to return MacMahon to full time-beat writer position.
According to a statement released by the Professional Basketball Writers Association, they are concerned that Cuban and the Mavericks revoked the credentials of the two long-time NBA reporters. The Professional Basketball Writers Association added in the statement that "The Mavericks' move is without merit.
We call on the Mavericks to reverse their decision or for NBA officials to intervene to allow Tim MacMahon and Marc Stein to continue their work." Josh Krulewitz, ESPN spokesperson, said in a statement that they are committed to thoroughly covering the Mavericks and the NBA. Meanwhile the NBA also issued a statement stating that league are in communication with ESPN and Mark Cuban concerning this issue. MacMahon is still on the Dallas Mavericks beat and continues to cover the team on the road. Mark Cuban said that MacMahon and Stein are not banned from coming to the American Airlines Center. But they have to buy their own tickets to watch the games.
Cuban didn't give reasons for Stein & McMahon media ban: “They’re not banned from the building. They can still buy a ticket.” #ESPN #NBA — Art Garcia (@ArtGarcia92) November 7, 2016
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