Michael Jordan headlined SBC Summit in a rare event appearance to speak on the dynamics and differences between sports branding in his time vs. today, his work with DraftKings and Sportradar, and why he is up for the challenge as a NASCAR team owner.
NBA legend and business entrepreneur Michael Jordan believes there is “a little bit more added pressure in sport” today as teams and players continue to balance the risk vs. reward of their brands.
The six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP winner took to the Super Stage at SBC Summit in Lisbon today (29 September) to share his views on why sports teams and players are no longer solely financially driven by the outcome of games, but are upholding and adding value to their brands.
“I think there’s a little bit more added pressure in sport,” said Jordan. “In my day, you either win the game or you don’t win the game. Today, you have to build a brand.
“You have to worry about what your numbers are in terms of what financial rewards you’re going to get in the contract. All these things will start to come into play. Which, in essence, these guys have to gather all that information to come up with all these different analytics to determine how their business is going to be successful in relation to what’s happening on the basketball court.”
Before Jordan entered the NBA in the 1984 draft, the league’s revenue was at an estimated $165m, with a media rights deal valued at $28m. Fast-forward to the present day, the NBA’s 2026 revenue rose to as high as $14.3bn and is currently in the midst of an 11-year, $76bn media rights deal.
Jordan remains one of the most recognisable sporting figures in the world. His Air Jordan deal with Nike has made him a billionaire, alongside other significant investments in his portfolio, such as in the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, Cincoro Tequila, DraftKings, Sportradar and the 23XI NASCAR racing team.
The Basketball Hall of Famer arguably wrote the blueprint on how a sporting athlete can become a brand themselves, but Jordan told the audience in Lisbon at SBC Summit this was not at the forefront of his mind during his playing days in Chicago.
“Ultimately, all we cared about was that I wanted to make the Chicago Bulls the best team in the NBA,” said Jordan.
“Whereas today, you got guys thinking about their brands, their namesake, their logos and all these other things which they need to cater to.”
Jordan’s work with DraftKings and Sportradar
DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl joined Jordan on stage at the event.
Jordan became an investor in Sportradar in 2015 and later took on a role as a Special Advisor to the Board of Directors. He took on the same role at DraftKings and became an investor in the sports betting firm in 2020.
DraftKings’ valuation surged by 12% in pre-market trading following the announcement of Jordan’s involvement in the company, while Sportradar closed an initial public offering (IPO) of $8bn in September 2021 with Jordan present at the ring bell opening at Nasdaq.
Both companies continue to leverage Jordan’s business and investor acumen as a special advisor on their boards, while also leveraging his mass global appeal to market their brand to customers.
“When I get involved in deals, be it with Sportradar or DraftKings, I need to know it’s authentic to what represents me,” said Jordan.
“I know I’ll be used as a marketing vehicle. The consumer has to connect to that. If there’s a disconnect, and I’m not doing my job, then obviously they have not made the best selection in terms of my relationship with them.
“So when I look at things and how the landscape is changing today, it’s a lot different than when I played during my era.”
Why Jordan is up for the NASCAR challenge
Jordan also spoke on his ongoing venture into NASCAR at SBC Summit, being the owner of the 23XI racing team alongside Denny Hamlin and Curtis Polk.
He explained what drew him to investing in a NASCAR team, which is centred around his upbringing in Wilmington, North Carolina and attending NASCAR races with his family.
“I grew up with a family going to the NASCAR races; we knew what it did for my family,” said Jordan.
”I felt like it hadn’t really been touched in the consumer community, and I said, you know, let’s just dive in and figure out how authentically we can make this relevant because it’s great content.”
Looking to add a fresh commercialisation spin on the racing league appeared to have been the challenge Jordan was looking for, but he and his 23XI team encountered another challenge off the grid.
In 2024, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports challenged NASCAR’s charter extension for 2025–31. They stated the league’s sanctioning body wielded monopoly power through the charter system and related contractual restrictions.
A preliminary injunction initially allowed 23XI and Front Row to race as chartered teams, but that order was overturned by the US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in June, leaving both organisations to compete as “open” entries for much of the season, with reduced revenue certainty and no guaranteed starting spots.
The NASCAR dispute was resolved in December 2025 via a settlement agreement, as NASCAR issued an amendment to existing charter holders setting out updated terms for signature, which will include a form of evergreen charters.
While not commenting on the NASCAR dispute at SBC Summit, Jordan revealed he believes there is an opportunity to make an “impact” in NASCAR but also empathised with today’s players and teams balancing the risk vs. reward element.
“That’s how I look at most opportunities, and I look at if I can make an impact or change it, then it’s worth the challenge,” said Jordan.
“Now, quite naturally, everything doesn’t all work, but the risk-reward, which is what [today’s players] deal with, makes it a challenge.”
