The Dallas Mavericks created a stir on social media Sunday night when it was reported that the team revoked the season credentials of two ESPN writers.
Both Art Garcia and SB Nation’s Tim Cato reported that Mavs owner Mark Cuban pulled the season credentials from ESPN’s Marc Stein and Tim MacMahon. Garcia says that neither writer is allowed inside American Airlines Center.
Mark Cuban pulled #Mavs media credentials from #ESPN reporters @ESPNSteinLine & @espn_macmahon. Both aren't allowed in AAC. #NBA is aware.
— Art Garcia (@ArtGarcia92) November 7, 2016
MacMahon covers the Mavericks and NBA for ESPN, while Stein is a general NBA reporter who covers the entire league. Neither reporter has been able to cover the team at home since Friday.
According to Cato, both reporters are allowed to cover the team on the road, just not for home games. The NBA is looking into the matter, while ESPN says they remain committed to covering the Mavericks.
It’s unclear whether the ban applies strictly to MacMahon and Stein, or all ESPN writers attempting to cover the Mavericks. But Cato noted that a different ESPN employee was able to cover the team on Sunday.
Cuban had this to say:
From @mcuban on the Mavs/ESPN credentials: "It's between us and ESPN and we won't be commenting."
— Richard Deitsch (@richarddeitsch) November 7, 2016
Other media members are saying that Cuban threw a fit because ESPN no longer has a full-time Mavericks reporter, and that’s why he pulled the credentials.
.@mcuban is throwing a fit because ESPN doesn't have a full time Mavs guy. Why would they? He'll justify it w/business spin BS. Comical.
— Landry Locker (@LandryLocker) November 7, 2016
ESPN had the audacity to stop treating this like a 50-win team. Not staffing every home game. Which is nothing new actually. https://t.co/hoVEFzfMb7
— Tim Cowlishaw (@TimCowlishaw) November 7, 2016
