Michael Jordan is reportedly suing NASCAR and its CEO, Jim France.
Reports state that Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed a lawsuit in a North Carolina federal court on October 2. The lawsuit came after two teams refused to sign updates pacts with NASCAR due to “unfair terms.”
Both of Jordan’s teams demanded more when their extension went beyond 2024 as stated in their agreement, however France or NASCAR refused to negotiate the new terms. Both teams also claim they were pressured into a “take-it-or-leave-it” kind of deal if they didn’t come to an agreement.
They also filed a lawsuit and an injunction that will allow them to “compete in the 2025 season without releasing their antitrust claims.” Both of Jordan’s teams said that they wanted to “stifle France’s and NASCAR’s unlawful monopoly power.”
Jordan said in a statement, “I love the sport of racing and the passion of our fans, but the way NASCAR is run today is unfair to teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans. Today’s action shows I’m willing to fight for a competitive market where everyone wins.”
Denny Hamlin, Jordan’s 23XI Racing co-owner said, “When I look around, I see that the best and most competitive sports in the world understand that when teams thrive, fans benefit, and that everyone who invests in making the sport a success should share fairly in that success. With the right changes, we can certainly make that a reality in racing.”