Four-time US Olympic Champion Michael Johnson has launched a new initiative called Grand Slam Track, billed as a ‘new global home of professional track competition’.
The league will host four annual Slams during the spring and summer season in four global cities.
The inaugural Slam will take place in April 2025, followed by three more Slams over the summer months. Los Angeles will serve as the global home for Grand Slam Track, and host one of the Slam events.
One further Slam will take place in the United States and two in international locations. The other host cities will be announced and celebrated in their respective local markets later this summer.
There is no indication that one of those will be in Europe and a greater likelihood that at least one will be in the Middle East region.
Each year, 48 athletes will be named to the league as GST Racers.
These racers are selected by the Grand Slam Track Racing Committee based on a combination of factors to include the fastest and best racers in each race group.
They will be asked to commit to racing in all four Slams per year.
They will receive an annual base compensation for racing in each Slam and are eligible for full prize money. They will receive annual contracts, access to the GST content and data services team, inclusion in the league collective, group licensing and new revenue opportunities, plus access to world class athlete support services throughout the season.
An additional 48 racers will be known as GST Challengers and will be paid a set appearance fee to compete at individual Slams. GST Challengers will be chosen by the Grand Slam Track Racing Committee based on a combination of factors including recent performances, and the most intriguing athletes and matchups.
Racers and Challengers will be assigned to compete in one of the following categories and will all race in two events during each Slam: short sprints (100m/200m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), long sprints (200m/400m), long hurdles (400H/400m), short distance (800m/1500m), or long distance (3000m/5000m).
All competitors’ final placement score will be determined by their combined finishing order between the two races.
The winner of each Slam group will take home $100,000 in prize money, and the 8th-place competitor will earn $10,000. Grand Slam Track will have a total of $12.6m of prize money that will be awarded across the slams each year in addition to the base compensation and appearance fees paid to racers.
Racers will compete in their own sponsored kits without traditional hip numbers or bibs. Racers and Challengers are encouraged to work with their sponsors to create customized kits in their own desired style. Grand Slam Track has no affiliation or sponsorship agreement with any shoe company or kit manufacturer.
Grand Slam Track has secured more than $30 million in financial commitments from investors and strategic partners for the league’s launch. Winners Alliance, a global, athlete-centric commercial solution and Johnson’s operating partner, was the lead investor in the new venture’s first fundraising close.
US Olympic Champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone was named as its first Racer. McLaughlin-Levrone is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner and is the world record holder for the 400-metre hurdles.
“I am delighted to finally unveil Grand Slam Track to the millions of track fans worldwide,” said Johnson, the league’s founder who will also serve as its Commissioner.
“We are excited to launch this new platform for the planet’s greatest racers in this sport we all love. Our team has worked tirelessly to design and build a product that will be loved by fans and provide opportunities for our racers that they truly deserve.”
“We’re revolutionizing the track landscape, allowing our sport to remain at the forefront of the sporting world year-round, and pushing our superstar racers to break new ground in their personal storytelling, competitive success, and marketability.”
The concept has echoes of LIV Golf as a disruptor but being limited to only four events and not competing against the major championships puts it in closer competition to events like the Diamond League. US Network NBC did not renew its contract to show the Diamond League after this year, perhaps a spur to bring this to life though it too has yet to confirm any broadcast deals.
World Athletics has yet to react, but prize money at the Olympics and a mooted Ultimate Championship with higher prizemoney would put it in competition.
Michael Johnson has been a regular analyst on the BBC’s Athletics coverage over the years, though it is now potentially doubtful whether that will include this year’s Paris Games.
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