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The basketball icon, as he cordially introduced himself in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his drive to win and status as a newcomer emboldened his push for 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of antitrust rules.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, saying he put in $40m of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team launched with business partner Curtis Polk and driver Hamlin.

“It fell to someone to act,” Jordan said during testimony. “As a newcomer, I had no fear. I felt I could challenge Nascar in its entirety. I felt as far as the sport it needed to be looked at through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

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

Jordan was on the witness stand for an hour and exited the courthouse to pandemonium, with fans and media vying for a view or a picture of the global icon.

Spearheading the Fight

Jordan’s 23XI is at the forefront of the push along with Front Row Motorsports for Nascar to change a business model Jordan contended is unlawful to maintain excessive control.

For Jordan and and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are events from last September. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional six hours where the racing circuit told teams they had to sign a contract extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages outlining pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan said that his team and its ally decided their sole viable path was to decline to sign that extensive document and take the issue to court. The other 13 organizations signed the agreement.

Jordan and co-owner Denny Hamlin approached Nascar about potential amendments or negotiations. Nascar wasn’t talking, according to his testimony.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

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

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver improved our chances to win,” he said, sharing that he purchased another franchise late in 2024 for $28 million amid the legal dispute. “So I took the plunge.”

Account from the Gibbs Family

Gibbs described her push for indefinite franchises, which she said a written letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

She said, the team founder first tried to call and talk Nascar out of forcing signatures, but Nascar’s leader refused the appeal.

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