Los Angeles, CA – Four-time U.S. Olympic Champion Michael Johnson today announced the official launch of Grand Slam Track™, a new global platform dedicated to professional track and field competitions. This initiative aims to introduce a new chapter in the sport, engaging a worldwide audience of approximately 2.5 billion fans and offering expanded opportunities for fan engagement, sponsorship, and elite athletic 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. There will be one further Slam that 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.
“I am delighted to finally unveil Grand Slam Track to the millions of track fans around the world,” said Michael Johnson, the league’s founder who will serve as 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. Grand Slam Track is going to take our sport to new heights, and we want you to come along for the ride.”
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Each year, 48 athletes are appointed as GST Racers within the league. These athletes are selected by the Grand Slam Track Racing Committee based on various criteria, including performance metrics, competitiveness, and the intensity of rivalries to ensure engaging and high-quality racing. GST Racers are committed to participating in all four Slams annually. They will receive an annual base compensation for their participation in each event and are eligible to earn the full prize money. These athletes will be under annual contracts and will have access to the GST content and data services team, inclusion in the league’s collective initiatives, group licensing opportunities, and new revenue streams. Additionally, they will have access to comprehensive athlete support services throughout the season. GST Racers are contracted to promote the league and will benefit from additional marketing and branding support.
Final placement scores for all competitors will be determined by their combined finishing positions across both races. In the event of a tie, the athlete with the fastest total time over the two events will be declared the winner. The winner of each Slam group will receive a prize of $100,000, while the 8th place competitor will earn $10,000. The Grand Slam Track series will feature a total prize pool of $12.6 million, which will be distributed annually across the Slam events in addition to base compensation and appearance fees paid to participants.
Grand Slam Track emphasizes head-to-head competition rather than solely focusing on finishing times. There will be no pacers or pacing lights. Each Slam event is considered equally significant, with its own prize purse, and will be scored independently; points and previous results will not carry over to subsequent Slams. All participants will compete twice over the three-day event. Additionally, all Slam events will adhere to World Athletics regulations, ensuring that recorded performances are eligible for rankings and standard qualifications.
Competitors will participate wearing their personalized sponsor-branded kits, without the use of traditional bib numbers or racing bibs. Participants and challengers are encouraged to collaborate with their sponsors to design customized kits that reflect their individual style. Grand Slam Track maintains no official affiliation or sponsorship agreement with any specific footwear brand; however, all shoe companies are valued as important stakeholders and partners in supporting and promoting our racers.
Grand Slam Track has successfully secured over $30 million in financial commitments from investors and strategic partners to support the league’s launch. Winners Alliance, a global, athlete-focused commercial solutions provider and Johnson’s operating partner, served as the lead investor in the initial fundraising round for this new venture. These investments will support Johnson’s overarching objective of enhancing fan engagement by showcasing the sport’s top athletes and reaching new audiences through innovative and compelling storytelling.
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