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The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a federal courtroom on Friday, admitted 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.

Financial Stakes and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, saying he invested $40 million of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation launched with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “I was a new person, I had no fear. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with independent franchises, like the NBA’s Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. The agreement was due to end in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for an hour and left the court to pandemonium, 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 business model Jordan contended is unlawful to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who testified before Jordan, are details from September 2024. She recounted a frantic and emotional period where the sanctioning body told teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement spanned 112 pages detailing team compensation and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan said that his team and its ally concluded their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and litigate the matter. All other teams agreed to the terms.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about possible changes or negotiations. Nascar refused to engage, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Victory

But in the end, the pushback against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about the familiar goal for Jordan: Winning.

“Hamlin persuaded me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he said, sharing that he bought a third charter last year for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, which she said a formal 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 persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

“Don’t do this to us,” Gibbs recounted Joe Gibbs told Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If I have 30, that’s the number.”