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The basketball icon, introducing himself formally in a Charlotte court on Friday, admitted that his drive to win and status as a newcomer motivated his effort with 23XI Racing to confront Nascar over alleged violations of competition laws.

Team Investment and a Competitive Drive

The owner disclosed financial and corporate details of his 23XI team, revealing he put in $40 million of his own funds into the Nascar Cup series team co-founded with partner Polk and longtime driver Denny 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. From my perspective, the sport required examination through a new lens.”

The Core Dispute: Charter Agreements and Renewal Demands

At issue is the expiration of a 2016 deal where Nascar provided each team a “charter”. This system mirrors other major leagues with independent franchises, such as the Charlotte 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 an hour and exited the courthouse to a media frenzy, with fans and media clamoring for a glimpse or a picture of the sports legend.

Leading the Legal Charge

Jordan’s 23XI is leading the full-court press along with another racing team for Nascar to overhaul a operating model Jordan said is breaking the law to maintain excessive control.

At issue for Jordan and a fellow team representative, who preceded Jordan, are details from last September. Gibbs described a frantic and emotional six hours where the racing circuit informed teams they had to sign a charter agreement extension. The document consists of over a hundred pages outlining team compensation and a guaranteed spot in Nascar-sponsored races.

A Refusal to Sign

Jordan said that 23XI and Front Row Motorsports concluded their sole viable path was to refuse a signature that extensive document and litigate the matter. The other 13 organizations agreed to the terms.

The team owners approached Nascar about potential amendments or extension options. Nascar wasn’t talking, Jordan said.

The Ultimate Motivation: Winning

But in the end, the resistance against what he saw as a financially unsustainable model 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 purchased another franchise last year for $28m despite the uncertainty. “So I dove in.”

Heather Gibbs’ Testimony

Heather Gibbs detailed her request for permanent charters, submitted in a formal letter to Nascar. She said the pressure of the signature deadline didn’t sit well.

According to her, the team founder first tried to call and persuade Nascar against demanding signatures, but Nascar’s leader declined the request.

“Don’t do this to us,” Gibbs recounted was the message to Nascar’s leadership. She said France replied, “If I wake up and I have 20 charters, that’s what I have. If there are 30, that’s the number.”