The NBA legend Testifies He ‘Wasn’t Afraid’ of the Racing Body in Antitrust Trial

Michael Jeffrey Jordan, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his competitive side and status as a newcomer motivated his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over perceived violations of competition laws.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared operational insights of his 23XI team, saying he put in $40 million of his own funds into the Cup Series operation co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. The concept is similar to other professional sports with separately owned franchises, such as the NBA’s Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar demanded teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for about sixty minutes and left the court to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters vying for a view or a photo of the global icon.

Leading the Legal Charge

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a business model Jordan said is breaking the law to keep two hands on the wheel.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a hectic and tense period where the sanctioning body informed teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement consists of 112 pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and litigate the matter. All other teams agreed to the terms.

The team owners approached Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Bottom Line: Victory

Ultimately, the resistance against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model was mostly about the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

“Hamlin persuaded me adding a third car improved our chances to win,” he said, noting that he purchased another franchise last year for $28 million despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the contract signing demand was problematic.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first tried to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s executives. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, that’s the number.”