Michael Jordan is confident in the outcome of the lawsuit against NASCAR: ‘We want a fair deal’
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Michael Jordan expressed confidence on Sunday in the outcome of the antitrust lawsuit his 23XI Racing team recently filed against NASCAR in federal court. The athletic, “I wouldn’t have submitted it if I didn’t think I could win.”
Jordan made his comments before Sunday’s race at Talladega Superspeedway while sitting atop the pit box for 23XI driver Bubba Wallace. The team has jointly filed a lawsuit with another NASCAR organization, Front Row Motorsports, alleging that NASCAR operates as a monopoly and uses “anti-competitive and exclusionary practices” to “enrich itself at the expense of major stock car racing teams .”
The issue between the parties centers on NASCAR’s so-called “charter system” and a final take-it-or-leave-it offer. NASCAR offered teams to extend the deal last month. Thirteen of the fifteen team owners signed the deal, with 23XI and Front Row as holdouts.
“We want a fair deal, but this was not fair. I didn’t submit it just for me. It’s for everyone,” Jordan said as he extended both arms and gestured to the cars lined up on the grid.
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NASCAR, meanwhile, continued to decline comment. The sanctioning body has not responded or commented publicly since the lawsuit was filed, and NASCAR also made no comment when 23XI and Front Row declined to sign the charter agreement in September.
NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, thanked reporters for the opportunity to comment but said he had nothing to say about the lawsuit when approached at the garage on Sunday.
“I’m excited about our championship battles and looking forward to a fantastic race today,” said France.
Court records show that 23XI and Front Row will file a preliminary injunction in federal court on or around October 8.
Charters are NASCAR’s version of a franchise, guaranteeing participation in every race (along with access to more race winnings and money from the season-long points fund than non-chartered teams).
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(Photo: Logan Riely/Getty Images)
