Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes that one of the NBA's marketing deals is "a scam," and he said Monday that he banned the product from the team's locker room.
Cuban made his opinion clear in a video he posted to YouTube last week in which he criticized Power Balance bracelets before throwing the display case that was in the Mavericks' locker room in the garbage.
"See this stuff?" Cuban said on the video, grabbing the display. "It was a scam when they were on 'Shark Tank.' It's still a scam. I don't care if the NBA was dumb enough to sign an agreement; this is going where it belongs."
At that point, Cuban put the display case in a trash can.
"But have no fear, we do recycle," Cuban said. "What are you thinking, NBA?"
The NBA declined comment Monday afternoon.
The rubber bracelets have a distinctive hologram that is "based on Eastern philosophies of health and wellness," according to the company's website. Power Balance bracelets featuring NBA team logos in the hologram are available for $32.99 on the league's official website.
However, Cuban said via email Monday that he will not allow the product in the Mavs' locker room.
In November 2011, Power Balance LLC reportedly agreed to a $57 million settlement to a class action false-advertising lawsuit by some customers who alleged that the company intentionally exaggerated its products' ability to improve balance, flexibility and strength.
Cuban hastily dismissed a similar product when watches with holograms were pitched on "Shark Tank," the ABC entrepreneurial reality show on which he stars.
"No, I'm allergic to scams," Cuban said on the February episode of "Shark Tank." "Seriously, this is not new. It's been disproven. What you saw is the placebo effect. There's athletes that wear it. It's a joke. It's a scam. It's not real."
