Michael Jordan’s Lawsuit Against NASCAR Gets its Day in Court

Basketball legend Michael Jordan’s lawsuit against NASCAR saw its first day in court on Monday in a jury trial that could change the very fabric of elite motorsports.

Filed on antitrust grounds by Front Row Motorsports and Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, which the basketball legend owns alongside his business manager Curtis Polk and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, the lawsuit alleges that NASCAR has been practicing a monopoly through its charter system – the elite motorsport’s version of the franchise model that guarantees the team’s “car a spot in the 40-car field for all 38 races, as well as a defined payout from the weekly purse,” per the Associated Press.

“Our fans have been brainwashed with (NASCAR’s) talking points for decades,” Hamlin wrote on social media. “Lies are over starting Monday morning. It’s time for the truth. It’s time for change.”

Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing were the only two teams out of 15 to refuse to sign NASCAR’s renewal of their charter agreement in late 2024, arguing that the terms fell short of what they sought after 2 years of negotiations.

“Even with the charters, the teams have argued that the revenue model is not viable,” noted the AP. “The teams wanted the charters to become permanent (they are renewable and revocable), a larger percentage of revenues, and a voice in governance.”

“The two organizations argue NASCAR holds too strong a hold on all aspects of the racing series and allege a monopoly based on exclusivity clauses, ownership of most of the race tracks on the Cup schedule, and its control of the rules and regulations,” it added.

The two teams have also sued NASCAR to recover their legal costs and financial losses after a year without being chartered.

NASCAR, however, has claimed that it has not violated antitrust laws by not restraining trade, arguing that the charter agreement presented in late 2024 actually increased payouts. The elite motorsports league also noted it offered cars to enter races as “open teams,” allowing them one of four non-chartered spots on qualifying speeds. 23XI and Front Row competed as open teams, allegedly costing millions of dollars in potential purse money.

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