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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 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 $40m of his personal wealth into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with business partner Curtis Polk and longtime driver Denny Hamlin.

“Someone had to step forward,” Jordan said in the Charlotte courtroom. “As a newcomer, I wasn’t afraid. I believed I could take on Nascar as a whole. From my perspective, the sport it needed to be looked at from a different view.”

Central Issue: Franchise System and Renewal Demands

The heart of the case involves the end of a 2016 agreement where Nascar provided each team a franchise. This system mirrors other professional sports with separately owned franchises, such as the NBA’s Hornets or the Carolina Panthers. This deal was due to end in 2024 when Nascar insisted on teams renew their charters.

Jordan was on the witness stand for about sixty minutes and exited the courthouse to a media frenzy, with onlookers and reporters clamoring for a view or a photo of the sports legend.

Spearheading the Fight

23XI Racing is at the forefront of the push along with another racing team for Nascar to change a operating model Jordan contended is breaking the law to keep two hands on the wheel.

For Jordan and and Heather Gibbs, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. She recounted a frantic and emotional six hours where the sanctioning body informed teams they must sign a contract extension. This agreement consists of over a hundred pages detailing pay for chartered teams and a guaranteed spot in every race.

Choosing Litigation

Jordan explained that his team and its ally concluded their sole viable path was to refuse a signature that extensive document and take the issue to court. All other teams signed the agreement.

The team owners reached out to Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar refused to engage, according to his testimony.

The Bottom Line: Winning

But in the end, the pushback against what he saw as a unsustainable system was driven by the usual bottom line for Jordan: Winning.

“Denny convinced me getting a third driver boosted our odds of winning,” he testified, noting that he bought a third charter last year for $28m amid the legal dispute. “So I took the plunge.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Gibbs described her request for permanent charters, which she said a formal letter to Nascar. She testified the pressure of the signature deadline was problematic.

According to her, the team founder first attempted to call and talk Nascar out of demanding signatures, but CEO Jim France declined the request.

“Please don’t force this on us,” Gibbs recounted was the message to Nascar’s executives. She said France replied, “Whether I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If I have 30, I have 30.”