Billionaire Mark Cuban’s bank wouldn’t allow him to purchase $140,000 bottle of champagne after championship win

Mark Cuban hit a minor yet hilarious snag when trying to buy an expensive champagne bottle back in 2011.

Billionaire Mark Cuban’s bank wouldn’t allow him to purchase $140,000 bottle of champagne after championship win

Dallas Mavericks' owner Mark Cuban. (Image via CNN)

For billionaire entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, the sweet taste of victory in the 2011 NBA Championship was briefly overshadowed by a rather unexpected hiccup. It was the decline of his credit card while attempting to purchase a $140,000 bottle of champagne to celebrate the historic win. The incident, which unfolded during a jubilant post-game celebration at LIV nightclub in Miami, offered a humorous yet telling glimpse into the life of a high-profile sports team owner.

The Mavericks’ triumph in the 2011 NBA Finals was nothing short of extraordinary. Led by superstar Dirk Nowitzki, the team defied the odds and vanquished the formidable Miami Heat, securing their first-ever NBA title in franchise history. As the city of Dallas erupted in jubilation, Mark Cuban, known for his passionate involvement with the team, spared no expense in commemorating the momentous occasion.

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However, Cuban’s grand gesture hit a snag when his attempt to purchase a $140,000 bottle of Armand de Brignac champagne, colloquially known as Ace of Spades, was met with an unexpected obstacle—his American Express Black Card being declined due to it being newly issued and not yet authorized.

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The best part was $140,000. Yeah, so I'm like, 'Dirk, do we wanna get this?' He's like, 'F**k yeah, we wanna get this.' I go to the waitress all right we'll take one. 10 minutes, 15 minutes go by, Dirk's like, 'Where's the champagne?' All of a sudden the lady comes up, 'Mr. Cuban, your card was declined.' I'm like what the f**k? And I'm like let me call American Express and I'm drunk as s**t. Let me call American Express and they're like, 'How do we know this is Mark Cuban? How do we know this is real? I'm like, 'Did you watch the game tonight? Let me just tell you just turn on the TV and see what's going on because we're in Miami right.' And so finally they approved it, got my bottle and we were good.
Mark Cuban told Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles on the Knuckleheads podcast in

Undeterred by the setback, Cuban persisted in his efforts to secure the extravagant purchase, engaging in a phone call with American Express representatives to plead his case. His persistence paid off as he finally succeeded in obtaining approval for the transaction, albeit with a slight delay and a humorous anecdote.

Mark Cuban was simply showing off his American Express Centurion

The incident shed light on the exclusivity and privileges associated with the American Express Centurion, or Black Card, a prestigious credit card tailored for the ultra-wealthy elite. With a steep initiation fee and stringent eligibility criteria, including substantial annual spending thresholds, the Black Card represents a symbol of status.

Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic. (Image via Yahoo Sports)

In retrospect, Cuban’s champagne fiasco serves as a humorous footnote as the Mavericks basked in the glory of their historic victory. Of course, Cuban is no stranger to having his team led by a European superstar.

He has already had immense success with Dirk Nowitzki and is now looking at a Slovenian, Luka Doncic, to lead his team to a championship. The Mavericks are currently 8th with a 30-23 record, and are certainly some way off of being title contenders.

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