CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Jordan has had a lifetime of great moments. His last came to the witness box in a federal courthouse.
The retired NBA great testified Friday against NASCAR in a antitrust case he continues the stock car series on behalf of his racing team, 23XI, with Front Row Motorsports. Both want to force NASCAR to change the way it does business with its teams, accusing it of monopolistic behavior.
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“Someone had to step forward and challenge the entity,” Jordan told the soft-spoken jury. “I felt like I could challenge NASCAR as a whole.”
It was a different role for Jordan, 62, best known for the six NBA titles he won with the Chicago Bulls and his retired business interests, including his still relatively new role as a NASCAR team co-owner with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. 23XI is a combination of Jordan’s longtime jersey number and Hamlin’s racing care number.
Wearing a dark blue suit, Jordan slowly walked to the stand for the afternoon session, adjusted the seat for his 6-foot-6 frame and took his seat. Those in the packed courtroom hung on every word.
Jordan said he grew up a NASCAR fan, attending races at age 11 or 12 with his family at the Charlotte and Rockingham speedways in his home state, but also at Darlington, South Carolina, and at Talladega superspeedway in Alabama.
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“We called it a weekend vacation,” he said.
There were moments of levity on a dramatic day of testimony which also included Heather Gibbs, the daughter-in-law of team owner and NFL Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs. People were turned away from the courtroom and U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell couldn’t help but notice the large crowd in front of him as well as a nearby overflow room.
“I guess Mr. Jordan is the next witness,” Bell joked.
Jordan noted that he was an early fan of Richard Petty, like his father. He then turned to Cale Yarborough, “the original No. 11, sorry, Denny,” Jordan testified as Hamlin watched from the gallery.
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Jordan was asked to describe his career, highlighting his time with the Bulls and adding that he remains a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets. Did he play elsewhere?
“I try to forget it, but I did,” said Jordan, who played for the Washington Wizards in a rather forgettable return to the NBA after his championship runs with the Bulls and a brief stint playing minor league baseball.
But Jordan spent most of his time explaining why he was in court suing the series he loves over charters that guarantee team revenue and access to Cup Series races. Among other things, the plaintiffs want the charters to be made permanent, something NASCAR has balked at.
“Look, we saw that the economics weren’t really beneficial to the teams,” Jordan testified, adding, “What I see in NASCAR that I think is missing is a shared responsibility for growth as well as loss.”
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As the session ended, defense attorney Lawrence Buterman noted the novelty of cross-examining an icon like Jordan, concluding with the comment, “Thanks for making my 9-year-old think I’m cool today.”
“You’re not wearing Jordans today,” Jordan responded, adding a “phew” before leaving the witness stand.
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