Charlotte, N.C. โค- Basketball legend Michael Jordan testified โin federal court today, stating โhe felt compelled to file anโ antitrust lawsuitโค against NASCAR despite his respect for the sport and its chairman, Jim France.Jordan, principal owner ofโค 23XI Racing, asserted the lack of permanent teamโ chartersโข threatened the viabilityโค of his race team and others, leaving him with no โchoice โฃbut legal action.
Jordan’sโค testimony centered on the negotiations forโฃ charter extensions, which ultimately failed to provide the long-termโ security he and other team owners sought. He recounted how NASCAR’s โคfinal offer on a โฃFriday night lacked permanent โขcharters,โข a deal he described as devastating. Hisโ father-in-law, joe gibbs, pleaded with France for a resolution, but according to Jordan, France abruptly ended the conversation.
The lawsuit, brought by 23XI โขRacing โฃand Front Row โขMotorsports, alleges NASCAR is illegallyโฃ stifling โcompetition through its controlโฃ of the charter system. heather Gibbs, โrepresentingโ Joe Gibbs Racing, testified she was forced to sign the offered agreement despite believing it unfair, fearing the loss of her team’s entire investment. She described leaving her 84-year-old father-in-law “sitting โin the dark, listening to his โฃblood sugar monitors goingโ off” as they rushed to โmeet a deadline.
Jordan emphasized the financial โขrisks โฃfaced by teams like his, which rely solely onโ sponsorship and investors. Joe Gibbs Racing, celebratingโ its 35thโ season nextโ year, hasโฃ 450 employees and fieldsโข four โฃCup cars. Jordan stated permanent charters โขare “absolutely โคvital” for teams to protect their โinvestments and ensure a “permanent โขplaceโ in their history books.”
He also voiced concern for the drivers,stating they riskโ their lives each week without the benefits ofโ an insurance โคpolicy or union representation.”I neverโค saw Jim France drive a car. Iโข never saw Jim France risk his life,” Jordan testified, โฃarguing more credit should be given to โthose who compete on the track. Bothโฃ 23XI and Front โคRow Motorsports have indicated they are likelyโข to cease operations if โฃthey cannot secure โคcharters โฃfollowing this season.
