🔗 Share this article

The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and novelty within the sport motivated his push for 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Financial Stakes and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared operational insights of his 23XI team, saying he invested $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 had no fear. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport required examination through a new lens.”

Central Issue: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

At issue is the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar provided each team a franchise. This system mirrors other professional sports with independent franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was set to expire in 2024 when Nascar insisted on charter membership renewals.

Jordan testified for an hour and left the court to pandemonium, with fans and media clamoring for a view or a picture of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to change a business model Jordan contended is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional six hours where the sanctioning body informed teams they had to sign a contract extension. This agreement consists of over a hundred pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally decided their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and take the issue to court. All other teams signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin approached Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was driven by the familiar goal for Jordan: Success.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he purchased another franchise late in 2024 for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her push for indefinite franchises, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, the team founder first tried to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France refused the appeal.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Heather Gibbs said was the message to Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If I have 30, I have 30.”