Michael Jordan's Team Among Two to Sue NASCAR Over 'Monopolistic' Practices

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are going after stock car racing's governing body.

Jun 25, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; NASCAR Cup Series 23XI Racing owner Michael Jordan and driver Bubba Wallace (23) on pit road during qualifying for the Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

As NASCAR navigates its playoff races, stock car racing's governing body is facing new litigation from two of its teams.

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are filing a federal lawsuit against NASCAR in North Carolina, the AP's Jenna Fryer reported Wednesday morning.

“The France family and NASCAR are monopolistic bullies,” the lawsuit reads per Fryer. “And bullies will continue to impose their will to hurt others until their targets stand up and refuse to be victims. That moment has now arrived.”

23XI Racing is owned by Hall of Fame NBA guard Michael Jordan, who founded the team with veteran driver Denny Hamlin in 2020.

The two teams' lawsuit targets NASCAR's eight-year-old charter system, which the plaintiffs believe hinders revenue growth. Per Fryer, the charter-holding teams have been asking for "more revenue, a voice in governance and rule-making, and a cut from deals NASCAR earns off the names, images and likenesses of the participants."

The current round of NASCAR charters are scheduled to expire New Year's Eve. 23XI and Front Row's suit argues that teams signed a renewal offer in September under anticompetitive coercion. The two teams that brought the suit did not sign the agreement and retained legal representation.

"Everyone knows that I have always been a fierce competitor, and that will to win is what drives me and the entire 23XI team each and every week out on the track," 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."

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