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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 antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

Jordan shared financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he invested $40m of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation co-founded with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan stated in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport required examination through a new lens.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Contract Pressure

The heart of the case involves the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar granted each team a “charter”. The concept is similar to other professional sports with independent franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the NFL’s Panthers. This deal was due to end in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and left the court to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters clamoring for a glimpse or a picture of the global icon.

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 said is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. Gibbs described a hectic and tense period where the racing circuit informed teams they must sign a charter agreement extension. This agreement consists of 112 pages detailing team compensation and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports decided their only feasible option was to refuse a signature that extensive document and take the issue to court. The other 13 organizations agreed to the terms.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin approached Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar refused to engage, Jordan said.

The Bottom Line: Winning

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

“Hamlin persuaded me adding a third car boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, sharing that he bought a third charter late in 2024 for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Gibbs described her push for indefinite franchises, submitted in a written letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the signature deadline was problematic.

According to her, the team founder first tried to call and talk Nascar out of forcing signatures, but Nascar’s leader declined the request.

“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, that’s the number.”