Michael Jordan co-owned 23XI Racing faces NASCAR countersuit amid charter fallout

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NASCAR is accusing 23XI Racing of "willfully" violating antitrust laws, court documents show. The company is co-owned by six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan. 

A contentious two-year negotiation period on new charter agreements led to the lawsuit. Charters are NASCAR's equivalent of a franchise model. Teams that have charters receive a minimum of 36 spots on every race weekend.

A 30-page lawsuit filed in the Western District of North Carolina argued that Jordan's entity, more specifically business manager Curtis Polk, circumvented antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in connection with the most recent charter agreements. Polk is listed as a defendant in the filing. 

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Nov. 9, 2024; Avondale, Arizona. 23XI Racing team owner Michael Jordan during qualifying for the Cup Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)

Front Row Motorsports also declined to sign the new agreements, which were presented to the teams last September shortly before the start of NASCAR's playoffs. Restaurant entrepreneur Bob Jenkins owns Front Row Motorsports. In addition to Jordan, Polk and driver Denny Hamlin are co-owners of 23XI Racing.

The charters were fought for by the teams ahead of the 2016 season and have twice been extended. The latest extension is for seven years to match the current media rights deal. 23XI and Front Row refused to sign and sued, alleging that NASCAR and the France family, who own the stock car series, are a monopoly.

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