CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Michael Jordans attorneys were under pressure Tuesday to complete their presentation in the federal antitrust trial against NASCAR that is plodding so slowly the judge has repeatedly admonished both sides.
An economist used almost all of Monday to explain how he landed at a figure of $364.7 million in damages owed by NASCAR to 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports in their revenue-sharing dispute with the top motorsports series in the United States.
U.S. District Judge had previously told Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for the two race teams, that he wants Kesslers case completed Tuesday, the seventh day of the trial in the Western District of North Carolina. He also asked the nine-person jury to serve an additional hour for the remainder of the week in an effort to avoid using a full third week to complete the case.
Edward Snyder, a professor of economics who worked in the antitrust division of the Department of Justice and has testified in more than 30 cases, including Deflategate involving the NFLs New England Patriots, will continue testimony Tuesday.
Hes so far outlined why he found NASCAR to be in a monopoly using anticompetitive business practices, and explained the complex formula to decide 23XI is owed $215.8 million while Front Row is owed $148.9 million.
Based on his calculations, Snyder determined NASCAR shorted 36 chartered teams $1.06 billion from 2021-24.
NASCAR contends Snyders estimations are wrong and its own two experts take serious issue with the findings. Defense attorney Lawrence Buterman asked Snyder his opinion on NASCARs upcoming expert witnesses and Snyder said they were two of the best economists in the world.
Bell wants the defense to get to at least its first witness before end of day Tuesday, but Kessler has three remaining on his list once Snyders testimony concludes. Kessler still plans to call NASCAR chairman Jim France, NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps and Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress.
The suit is about the 2025 charter agreement, which was presented to teams on a Friday in September 2024 with a same-day deadline to sign the 112-page document. The charter offer came after more than two years of bitter negotiations between NASCAR and its teams, who have called the agreement a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum that they signed with a gun to their head.
A charter is similar to the franchise model in other sports, but in NASCAR it guarantees 36 teams spots in the 40-car field, as well as specific revenue.
Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin for 23XI, along with Front Row Motorsports and owner Bob Jenkins , were the only two teams out of 15 to refuse the new charter agreement.
The Florida-based France family founded NASCAR in 1948 and, along with Speedway Motorsports, owns almost all the tracks on the top Cup Series schedule. Snyder noted NASCAR had $2.2 billion in assets, an equity value of $5 billion and an investment-grade credit rating.
Snyder also testified NASCAR had $250 million in annual earnings from 2021-24 and the France family took $400 million in distributions during that period.
The final three witnesses for the two teams suing should shed more light on the acrimonious nature of the lengthy charter agreement negotiations.
Childress was the subject of derogatory text messages in which Phelps called the six-time championship-winning owner a redneck who needs to be taken out back and flogged. Childress has said hes considering legal action, even though Phelps apologized some time ago in warning Childress was going to be revealed.
Jordans involvement has put a spotlight on NASCAR that it doesnt want as the global icon tries to prove NASCAR is run by a family of dictators enriching themselves at the expense of the teams and drivers.
NASCAR publicly admitted it wants to settle the case in comments made ahead of the November season finale by Phelps. Jordan has previously said hes open to a settlement; several mediation sessions failed to find a solution.
Every twist in the yearlong court battle has been a setback for NASCAR, which maintains it did give teams an improved revenue model from the original 2016 charter agreement and everything it has done is for the benefit of growing the sport on the France family dime.
However, Jenkins has claimed hes never turned a profit in more than two decades of racing and has stated losses between $70 million and $100 million. Jordan and Hamlin have admitted 23XI Racing has been profitable in its five years of existence, but largely based on Jordans ability to draw high-dollar sponsors.
NASCAR said Monday it has 16 witnesses on its list, and Hall of Fame team owners Rick Hendrick and Roger Penske, two of the most powerful figures in motorsports, are expected to be called.
Penske, as owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar, which recently adopted its charter system, can testify to race sanctioning agreements, the revenue models and financial health of race teams.
Hendrick, a close friend of the France family for decades, is a car salesman and Charlotte local who can use his communication skills to support the theory everyone in racing understands the financials and willingly enters into NASCAR and the Frances business model.
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AP auto racing:
美联社北卡罗来纳州夏洛特电 —— 迈克尔·乔丹的律师团队周二面临巨大压力，需在针对纳斯卡赛车(NASCAR)的联邦反垄断诉讼中完成陈述。该案审理进展极为缓慢，法官已多次对双方提出警告。
一位经济学家花了几乎整个周一的时间，解释他是如何计算出美国顶级赛车系列赛NASCAR在与23XI Racing及Front Row Motorsports的收入分成纠纷中，需向后者支付3.647亿美元赔偿金的。
美国地方法院法官此前告知两支赛队的代理律师杰弗里·凯斯勒（Jeffrey Kessler），希望其案件能在周二（北卡罗来纳州西区庭审第七日）完成审理。为避免占用完整的第三周时间结案，法官还要求九人陪审团本周剩余时间每日延长一小时工作。
经济学教授爱德华·斯奈德（Edward Snyder）曾在美国司法部反垄断部门工作，并在30多起案件中出庭作证，其中包括涉及美国国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）新英格兰爱国者队的“放气门”事件。他将于周二继续作证。
他目前已经概述了自己为何认为纳斯卡赛车（NASCAR）通过反竞争的商业手段形成了垄断，并解释了用于判定23XI车队应获赔2.158亿美元而前排车队（Front Row）应获赔1.489亿美元的复杂计算公式。
根据斯奈德的计算，纳斯卡赛车在2021至2024年间少支付了36支特许车队共计10.6亿美元。
NASCAR辩称斯奈德的估算有误，其聘请的两位专家对这些研究结果"提出严重质疑"。辩护律师劳伦斯·布特曼询问斯奈德对NASCAR即将传唤的专家证人作何评价，斯奈德表示这两位堪称"全球顶尖的经济学家"。
贝尔希望辩方最迟在周二结束前传唤至少第一位证人出庭，但凯斯勒在斯奈德作证结束后，其名单上还有三人待传唤。凯斯勒仍计划传唤纳斯卡主席吉姆·弗朗斯、纳斯卡专员史蒂夫·菲尔普斯以及名人堂车队老板理查德·柴尔德里斯。
该诉讼涉及2025年特许经营协议。该协议于2024年9月某个周五提交给各车队，并要求在当天签署这份长达112页的文件。这份特许经营提议是在纳斯卡（NASCAR）与其车队历经两年多的激烈谈判后提出的。车队方称该协议是“要么接受要么放弃”的最后通牒，他们是在“枪顶脑袋”的胁迫下签署的。
特许经营权模式与其他体育项目中的加盟模式类似，但在NASCAR赛事中，它能确保36支车队在40辆赛车的参赛阵容中获得固定席位，并享有特定收入分成。
由乔丹和三届Daytona 500冠军得主丹尼·哈姆林共同创立的23XI车队，以及Front Row Motorsports车队及其老板鲍勃·詹金斯，成为15支车队中仅有的两支拒绝签署新特许经营协议的车队。
总部位于佛罗里达州的弗朗斯家族于1948年创立了NASCAR，并与赛道汽车运动公司共同拥有顶级杯赛赛程中几乎所有赛道。斯奈德指出，NASCAR拥有22亿美元资产、50亿美元股权价值，并持有投资级信用评级。
斯奈德还证实，纳斯卡赛车（NASCAR）在2021至2024年间年收入达2.5亿美元，而法国家族同期从中获得了4亿美元的分红。
诉讼双方最后三位证人的证词，将进一步揭示这场漫长的特许协议谈判中剑拔弩张的本质。
奇尔德里斯（Childress）曾成为侮辱性短信的针对对象，菲尔普斯（Phelps）在这类信息中将这位六次夺冠的车队老板称为"需要被拖到后院鞭打的红脖子乡巴佬"。尽管菲尔普斯早前已道歉并警告奇尔德里斯其言行将被曝光，但后者表示仍在考虑采取法律行动。
乔丹的卷入将NASCAR推向了其不愿面对的聚光灯下——这位全球偶像正试图证明，NASCAR由一个独裁者家族掌控，他们以牺牲车队和车手的利益为代价中饱私囊。
纳斯卡（NASCAR）在菲尔普斯（Phelps）于11月赛季收官战前发表的评论中公开承认希望和解此案。乔丹（Jordan）此前曾表示愿意接受和解，但多次调解会议均未能达成解决方案。
这场长达一年的法庭斗争中的每一次波折都对NASCAR造成了打击。该组织坚称，他们确实根据2016年的原始特许协议为车队提供了改进后的收入模式，并且其所有举措都是为了利用弗朗斯家族的资金推动这项运动的发展。
然而，詹金斯声称自己二十多年来参赛从未盈利，并透露累计亏损在7000万至1亿美元之间。乔丹和哈姆林则承认，23XI车队成立五年来一直保持盈利，但这主要得益于乔丹吸引高额赞助商的能力。
美国纳斯卡赛车协会（NASCAR）周一表示，其证人名单上已有16人，预计将传唤赛车界两位最具影响力的人物——名人堂车队老板里克·亨德里克和罗杰·潘世奇。
作为印第安纳波利斯赛车场和印地赛车的所有者，彭斯克（Penske）最近采用了特许经营体系，他可以证实有关赛事批准协议、收入模式以及参赛车队财务状况的情况。
亨德里克（Hendrick）是法国（France）家族数十年的挚友，身为汽车销售员和夏洛特本地人，他凭借出色的沟通能力佐证了一个观点：每位赛车界人士都清楚财务状况，并自愿融入NASCAR及法国家族商业模式。
美联社赛车新闻专栏：
