CRASHING OUT: Michael Jordan Announces Lawsuit vs. NASCAR

The most famous team owner in NASCAR, is going to court. Against NASCAR.

WHAT IS HAPPENING

This dispute comes on the tail-end of over two years of unsuccessful negotiations, and renegotiations, over the new charter agreement that NASCAR is forcing on members of the series. Basically, NASCAR controls which tracks that it allows races happens on (and owns those same race tracks), mandates which equipment suppliers it’s teams can use, and largely controls much of the North American racing market without much competition. According to critics, NASCAR’s iron grip over the sport unfairly benefits them at the expense of team owners, drivers, sponsors, partners and fans.

Michael Jordan, alongside current Joe Gibbs Racing driver and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, launched twenty-three eleven racing in 2021. Along with being the only Black owned racing team in NASCAR, twenty-three eleven also features Bubba Watson, the only Black driver in NASCAR.

TAKE IT TO TRIAL

As reported by the Associated Press, NASCAR presented its final offer in early September, on what is essentially a revenue sharing model; 13 organizations signed, with most saying they did so under duress or felt threatened into doing so. 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by Jordan, and a smaller team, refused to sign. Hiring Jeffrey Kessler, a top antitrust attorney, who has represented the players in all four major professional North American sports, helped push the NCAA toward an era of paid college athletes and won a landmark equal pay settlement for members of the U.S. national women’s soccer team.

Jordan, again one of the fiercest competitors we have ever seen, decided to make his quiet beef with NASCAR public this week, releasing this statement: