NASCAR Countersues Michael Jordan’s Racing Team, Comparing Actions To An “Illegal Cartel”
on Mar 13, 2025
NASCAR Sues Michael Jordan’s Racing Team
NASCAR filed a lawsuit on Wednesday, March 5, countersuing Michael Jordan’s racing team, 23XI Racing, and its co-owner, Curtis Polk, along with Front Row Motorsports.
According to documents obtained by the Associated Press, NASCAR claims that the two teams “willfully” violated antitrust laws. The lawsuit alleges that they schemed to “pressure” NASCAR into agreeing to their terms during charter agreement negotiations.
The organization accuses them of “interfering with NASCAR’s broadcast agreement negotiations, threatening boycotts of NASCAR events and engaging in a group boycott of a NASCAR Team Owner Council Meeting,” The Athletic reports.
NASCAR has labeled 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports as an “illegal cartel,” accusing Polk, who has been Jordan’s business manager for years, of leading the scheme. The lawsuit claims Polk has threatened other teams that considered leaving the alleged “conspiracy.”
“Curtis Polk basically orchestrated and threatened a boycott of one of the qualifying races for a major event and others did not go along with him. He got other teams to boycott a meeting that was required by the charter. When you have a threatened boycott of qualifying races that are covered by media, that’s not a good thing for other race teams, not a good thing when you are trying to collectively grow the sport,” NASCAR’s attorney Christopher Yates exclusively told the Associated Press
Yates also clarified that his client is not seeking a settlement in court. Instead, NASCAR is requesting triple damages and the elimination of 23XI and Front Row’s starting positions in Cup Series races if they “continue litigation aiming to make the charter agreements unlawful under antitrust laws.”
NASCAR’s Countersuit Comes Shortly After 23XI Racing And Front Row Filed A Federal Lawsuit
In October, the two racing teams filed the lawsuit, accusing NASCAR of “anticompetitive and exclusionary practices.”
Jeffrey Kessler, the attorney representing 23XI and Front Row, responded to NASCAR’s countersuit with a statement criticizing the organization’s actions.
“Today’s counterclaim by NASCAR is a meritless distraction and a desperate attempt to shift attention away from its own unlawful, monopolistic actions,” Kessler said.
He continued, “NASCAR agreed to the joint negotiations that they now attack. When those joint negotiations failed, they used individual negotiations to impose their charter terms, which most of the teams decided they had no choice but to accept.”
The dispute began after more than two years of negotiations over new charter agreements. Of 15 teams, 23XI and Front Row were the only ones that did not sign the contracts. These were presented to them just 48 hours before NASCAR’s playoffs began as a “take it or leave it” offer.
“Front Row and 23XI may think that by suing NASCAR, they can achieve better terms. But that is not NASCAR’s intent at all,” NASCAR’s attorney counteracted.
A jury trial for the joint lawsuit has been scheduled for December 1.
