By Blessing Nweke
Michael Jordan is expected to take the stand Friday in a federal antitrust trial against NASCAR, according to two people close to the NBA Hall of Famer who spoke with NBC News. The closely watched case, filed in 2024, has unfolded this week in a Charlotte, North Carolina, courtroom as Jordan’s 23XI Racing team and Front Row Motorsports seek to prove that NASCAR is operating as a monopoly.
The teams allege that NASCAR restricts competition by limiting teams’ revenue opportunities and requiring all racers to use identical car models and parts supplied by NASCAR-approved vendors. They argue these rules suppress innovation and keep teams financially dependent on the organization. NASCAR has denied any wrongdoing, and in October its commissioner said the league was “trying our hardest” to reach a settlement after discovery revealed internal communications and financial details.
Jordan, 62, who co-founded 23XI Racing in 2020 with Curtis Polk and veteran driver Denny Hamlin, has become a prominent figure in motorsports after his NBA career and ownership of the Charlotte Hornets. His anticipated testimony is expected to draw significant attention, though court schedules remain subject to change.
Central to the case is NASCAR’s charter system, introduced in 2016, which guarantees 36 teams entry into races and revenue shares. Jordan’s team and Front Row Motorsports declined to sign NASCAR’s 2024 revenue-sharing model, filing suit instead. Hamlin testified this week that signing would have been “my death certificate for the future,” arguing NASCAR’s terms were unfair and harmful to the sport’s long-term growth.
Jordan has said his fight is not only for 23XI but “for the smaller teams, as well; it’s not just for me.”
Original article
Comments