“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said of the settlement. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and, ultimately, for the fans.”
NASCAR has reached a settlement in an antitrust lawsuit filed against the organization by two of its race teams, including, notably, one owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan.
According to NBC News, the settlement was announced on the ninth day of the case’s trial before U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth Bell. During an hour-long sidebar, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports attorney Jeffrey Kessler reportedly emerged from a conference room, telling a court clerk, “We’re ready.”
“Nascar, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports are pleased to announce a mutually agreed-upon resolution that delivers long-term stability and creates the conditions for meaningful growth for all teams in a more competitive environment,” NASCAR, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motor Sports said in a joint statement.
Michael Jordan emphasized in his own statement that the lawsuit was filed to make “sure [NASCAR] evolves in a way that supports everyone: teams, drivers, partners, employees, and fans. With a foundation to build equity and invest in the future and a stronger voice in the decisions ahead, we now have the chance to grow together and make the sport even better for generations to come.”
NBC News notes that the details of the settlement have not been made public.
In a joint statement, representatives for NASCAR and the two co-plaintiffs, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, said that the agreement “delivers long-term stability and creates the conditions for meaningful growth for all teams in a more competitive environment.”
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 23XI and Front Row after they refused to sign agreements on NASCAR’s new charter offers, presented in September of 2024. Both 23XI and Front Row acknowledged that, if they lost the case, they would likely be forced out of business.
Speaking to the jury, Bell said that, sometimes, opposing parties at trial have to see the evidence in court before realizing that settling might be better than risking a jury’s decision.
“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said of the settlement. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and, ultimately, for the fans.”
Of the 15 teams asked to sign the new charter agreements, only 23XI and Front Row refused; the other 13 teams signed, but all expressed that the terms were unfair, despite being the product of more than two years of negotiations.
Sources
Nascar settles antitrust lawsuit with Michael Jordan–backed team after bruising trial
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