Michael Jordan testified in a federal courtroom in Charlotte on Friday, admitting that his competitive nature and status as a newcomer to Nascar spurred his team, 23XI Racing, to challenge the organisation over alleged antitrust violations. The basketball legend, who introduced himself cordially as Michael Jeffrey Jordan, said he invested $40m of his own money into the Cup series team, which he co-owns with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Denny Hamlin.
“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan told the court. “I was a new person, I wasn’t afraid. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport, it needed to be looked at from a different view.” The case centres on a 2016 charter agreement that expired in 2024, when Nascar demanded teams sign renewal terms. Jordan’s 23XI and Front Row Motorsports refused, while 13 other organisations signed.
Jordan testified that he and Hamlin approached Nascar about possible changes, but the organisation was not open to discussion. He said the pushback was ultimately about winning, revealing that he purchased a third charter for $28m late in 2024 despite the legal uncertainty. “Denny convinced me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he said. “So I dove in.”
Heather Gibbs, daughter-in-law of Joe Gibbs, testified before Jordan, describing a frantic six-hour period in September 2024 when Nascar demanded teams sign a 112-page charter extension. She said Joe Gibbs tried to call Nascar CEO Jim France to urge against forcing signatures, but France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30.”
Jordan left the courthouse to pandemonium as media and fans clamoured for a glimpse of the NBA legend. The trial continues as 23XI and Front Row Motorsports seek to change what they call an unlawfully monopolistic business model.
