Mark Cuban, chairman of the HDTV cable net AXS TV and owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks, is predicting a steep decline in the popularity of the NFL over the next 10 years, and he says the reason is simple: It’s the league’s greed, ESPN reports.

In a chat with reporters Sunday, Cuban said: "I think the NFL is 10 years away from an implosion. I’m just telling you: Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered. And they’re getting hoggy."

Cuban added: "When you try to take it too far, people turn the other way. I’m just telling you, when you’ve got a good thing and you get greedy, it always, always, always, always, always turns on you. That’s rule No. 1 of business."

The report notes: "Cuban was specifically referring to the NFL’s recently expanding its television package. He considers it a poor business decision for the NFL, which consistently dominates TV ratings, to play games on days other than Sunday and Monday."

"They’re trying to take over every night of TV," Cuban said. "Initially, it’ll be, ‘Yeah, they’re the biggest-rating thing that there is.’ OK, Thursday, that’s great, regardless of whether it impacts [the NBA] during that period when we cross over. Then if it gets Saturday, now you’re impacting colleges. Now it’s on four days a week."

ESPN reports: "In February, the league announced a one-year deal with CBS and NFL Network to televise Thursday night games. CBS will air the games during the first eight weeks of the season, simulcasting them with NFL Network. The league’s cable network will exclusively show six Thursday night games later in the season with CBS’s top announcing tandem of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms in the booth. NFL Network also will have a Saturday doubleheader in Week 16.

"The NFL started a limited package of Thursday night games in 2006. NFL Network showed 13 Thursday night games last season."

Said Cuban: "It’s all football. At some point, the people get sick of it."

"Cuban said the NFL is making a mistake by valuing television money over the convenience of fans who are used to planning for their NFL teams to play on Sundays with occasional Monday night games," ESPN adds. "He compared it to the decline in popularity of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ after the game show expanded to air five days a week."

Said Cuban: "They put it on every night. Not 100 percent analogous, but they handled it the same. I’m just telling you, pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered."

Mark Cuban