🔗 Share this article

The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, stated that his drive to win and novelty within the sport emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared operational insights of his 23XI team, saying he put in $40 million of his personal wealth into the Nascar Cup series team launched with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated during testimony. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

At issue is the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a franchise. The concept is similar to other major leagues with separately owned franchises, such as the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. The agreement was due to end in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and left the court to a media frenzy, with fans and media vying for a glimpse or a picture of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

Jordan’s 23XI is at the forefront of the push along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to change a operating model Jordan said is unlawful to keep two hands on the wheel.

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who testified before Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a hectic and tense six hours where the sanctioning body told teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned 112 pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed entry in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally concluded their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and take the issue to court. The other 13 organizations signed the agreement.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

Ultimately, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was driven by the usual bottom line for Jordan: Winning.

“Denny convinced me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Heather Gibbs detailed her push for indefinite franchises, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She said the timing of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

According to her, Joe Gibbs first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Gibbs recounted was the message to Nascar’s executives. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, I have 20. If there are 30, that’s the number.”