NBA legend Michael Jordan has filed a lawsuit against the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), seeking to challenge what he describes as an unfair business model that disadvantages teams and drivers.
Jordan, widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, appeared in a North Carolina courtroom, telling the court he wants to “push NASCAR to be better” through his anti-trust case against the U.S. racing giant.
The 62-year-old American billionaire, who co-owns the 23XI Racing team in NASCAR’s elite Cup Series, jointly filed the lawsuit with Front Row Motorsports last year after refusing to sign new NASCAR charters.
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Jordan said he has been a NASCAR fan since childhood but felt compelled to sue because the sport’s current structure leaves teams with little control.
“They don’t have partnerships; they have contractors,” Jordan testified about NASCAR’s relationship with Cup teams.
“I want to push NASCAR to be better. When you talk about charters, when you talk about partnerships, that’s ideal.”
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The lawsuit accuses NASCAR and its CEO Jim France of running the sport with minimal transparency, limiting competition, and structuring the industry to benefit the organisation at the expense of teams, drivers, sponsors, partners, and fans.
Analysts say the case could reshape the business model of one of America’s biggest motorsport properties. Yet Friday’s courtroom exchanges were cordial, even humorous at times.
One attorney representing NASCAR thanked Jordan for making his nine-year-old son think his father was “pretty cool today.”
Jordan, smiling, replied, “I see you’re not wearing your Jordans today,” suggesting a pair could boost that effect even more.
