NASCAR has filed a counterclaim against Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, accusing them of violating antitrust laws through collective conduct related to charter agreements. The two teams refused to sign new agreements presented last September. Charters guarantee spots in NASCAR races and financial incentives.
In a 30-page filing, NASCAR alleged that 23XI and Front Row engaged in anticompetitive behavior and threatened to boycott races during negotiations. The counterclaim names Curtis Polk, Jordan’s agent and business partner, as a defendant. NASCAR argues that the charter system provides little benefit and that the teams demanded more money from media revenues.
NASCAR’s attorney Christopher Yates stated that the charter system is not necessary but was implemented at the teams’ request in 2016. He claimed that the recent charter extensions met the teams’ demands and were fair and equitable. NASCAR is willing to continue the system but would discontinue charters if necessary.
The counterclaim seeks an injunction to eliminate guaranteed starting spots for charter teams if the teams persist in their antitrust claims. NASCAR accuses 23XI and Front Row of trying to change the economic model of the sport for their benefit. It is alleged that the teams engaged in a strategy of coercion and extortion to achieve improved terms.
The legal dispute is ongoing as NASCAR fights back against the antitrust claims brought by the two teams.
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