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The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his competitive side and status as a newcomer motivated his effort with 23XI Racing to “challenge” Nascar over perceived violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Will to Win

Jordan shared operational insights of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40m of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation launched with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said during testimony. “As a newcomer, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport required examination from a different view.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other professional sports with separately owned franchises, such as the Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. The agreement was due to end in 2024 when Nascar demanded charter membership renewals.

Jordan was on the witness stand for about sixty minutes and left the court to a media frenzy, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a picture of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan contended is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a hectic and tense six hours where the racing circuit informed teams they must sign a contract extension. This agreement spanned over a hundred pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally concluded their only feasible option was to decline to sign that 112-page package and take the issue to court. The other 13 organizations agreed to the terms.

The team owners approached Nascar about possible changes or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Winning

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model was driven by the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

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

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, which she said a written letter to Nascar. She testified 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.

“Don’t do this to us,” Gibbs recounted was the message to Nascar’s leadership. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If there are 30, that’s the number.”