How NBA Legend Michael Jordan Is Blowing Up NASCAR's Monopoly
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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Sherman Antitrust Act
13 min read
The lawsuit centers on allegations that NASCAR violated the Sherman Act through monopolistic practices. Understanding this foundational 1890 antitrust law—its history, landmark cases, and how courts interpret monopolization—provides essential context for evaluating the legal claims in this trial.
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Bill France Sr.
11 min read
The article mentions NASCAR was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948 and the France family still controls it. Learning about the founder's vision, his controversial anti-union stance, and how he built NASCAR into a monopoly provides historical context for understanding the current power dynamics being challenged.
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O'Bannon v. NCAA
10 min read
The article mentions Jeffrey Kessler 'breaking the NCAA cartel in 2020 over allowing college athletes to earn sponsorship money.' This landmark antitrust case against collegiate sports' economic model parallels the NASCAR lawsuit and shows how courts have ruled against sports organizations' anticompetitive practices.
“The France family and NASCAR are monopolistic bullies. 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.” - complaint against NASCAR
On Monday in a Charlotte, North Carolina courthouse, the weirdest and most interesting monopolization trial of the year started. A driving team, 23XI Racing, is suing NASCAR over its control of the sport, alleging violations of the Sherman Act for acting as a monopolist in the premier stock car racing market. 23XI is owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. Sitting on the other side is the billionaire France family, which owns NASCAR and speedways across the country.
It’s a real North Carolina scene, which is full of race tracks and racing fans. Jordan is a strategic weapon, sitting in the courtroom every day as the most famous and accomplished athlete in the history of the state. He is famously apolitical, but in this case, he said, “I’m willing to fight for a competitive market where everyone wins.” Several jurors were dismissed because of their love for Jordan, whereas another was kicked off the case because of her dislike for one of the driving teams involved. And then there was the guy who joked on his juror form that his hobby is “heavy drinking;” he was ultimately chosen to serve. The judge, Kenneth Bell, is a Trump appointee, and he moved the case lightning fast, bringing it to trial in a year.
The world of racing fans is glued to the trial, just as authors and agents couldn’t get enough of the merger challenge to Penguin/Simon & Schuster. And the reason is that antitrust trials are where everyone learns how their industry really works. There had always been rumors of dictatorial controlling behavior from NASCAR’s leadership, as well as attempts to quell dissent, everything from criticism of fees to attempts to unionize drivers. But now the evidence is coming out.
For instance, a few years ago Richard Childress, a legendary former driver and current owner who won six championships with Dale Earnhardt, made a comment about a new NASCAR TV deal. “Childress needs to be taken out back and flogged,” NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps texted Chief Media Officer Brian Herbst. “He’s a stupid redneck who owes his entire fortune to NASCAR.” Drivers and writers are ...
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