The lawsuit—viewed by experts as potentially having significant consequences for NASCAR if Jordan prevails—alleges that the leading US auto racing organization engages in monopolistic behavior that suppresses competition.

NBA star Jordan, who co-owns the 23XI Racing team in NASCAR’s Cup Series, filed the lawsuit alongside Front Row Motorsports last year after declining to sign new NASCAR charters.

The complaint charges NASCAR and its CEO Jim France with lacking transparency, restricting competition, and managing the sport in ways that unfairly advantage themselves over team owners, drivers, sponsors, partners, and fans.

The teams claim NASCAR engages in anti-competitive tactics such as purchasing most premier racetracks exclusively for NASCAR events, enforcing exclusivity agreements on sanctioned tracks, acquiring rival stock car series Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA), barring teams from competing in other stock car races, and mandating teams to buy parts only from NASCAR-approved single-source suppliers.

"No other major professional sport in North America is controlled by a single family that profits from these unchecked monopolistic actions," 23XI and Front Row stated in a press release announcing the lawsuit last year.

Jordan’s 23XI and Front Row were the only two out of 15 NASCAR teams that refused to sign the new charters central to the dispute.

"Everyone knows I’ve always been a fierce competitor, and that drive to win motivates me and the entire 23XI team every week on the track," Jordan remarked.

"I love racing and the enthusiasm of our fans, but NASCAR’s management is unfair to teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans alike."