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

Financial Stakes and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his racing venture, saying he put in $40 million of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team launched with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar as a whole. I felt as far as the sport required examination from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

At issue is the end of a 2016 deal where Nascar provided each team a franchise. The concept is similar to other major leagues with separately owned franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was due to end in 2024 when Nascar demanded charter membership renewals.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and left the court to pandemonium, with fans and media clamoring for a view or a photo of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan said is unlawful to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from September 2024. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional six hours where the racing circuit informed teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document spanned over a hundred pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan explained that his team and its ally concluded their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that 112-page package and litigate the matter. All other teams signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin reached out to Nascar about possible changes or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

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

“Denny convinced me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter last year for $28 million amid the legal dispute. “So I dove in.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, submitted in a formal letter to Nascar. She said the timing of the contract signing demand didn’t sit well.

She said, Joe Gibbs first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader declined the request.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Gibbs recounted Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s executives. The response was, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, I have 20. If I have 30, I have 30.”