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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 push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Financial Stakes and a Will to Win

Jordan shared operational insights of his racing venture, saying he invested $40m of his personal wealth into the Cup Series operation launched with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “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 through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Contract Pressure

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 deal where Nascar granted each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other professional sports with independent franchises, like the Charlotte Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was due to end in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan testified for about sixty minutes and exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with onlookers and reporters clamoring for a view or a photo of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a business model Jordan said is unlawful to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from September 2024. She recounted a frantic and emotional six hours where the racing circuit informed teams they had to sign a contract extension. This agreement consists of over a hundred pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan said that his team and its ally decided their only feasible option was to decline to sign that 112-page package and take the issue to court. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners approached Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Winning

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a unsustainable system was mostly about the usual bottom line for Jordan: Success.

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he said, sharing that he purchased another franchise 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 formal letter to Nascar. She said the timing of the signature deadline was problematic.

According to her, the team founder first tried to call and persuade Nascar against forcing signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

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