Grand Slam Track is an upcoming professional track and field league that was announced in 2024 by American former Olympic champion sprinter Michael Johnson. The first season is due to run from April to September 2025. After being initially announced in February 2024, the name of the league and other details were announced at a June 2024 press conference in Los Angeles hosted by John Anderson.[1]
Development
Former sprinterMichael Johnson, who had the idea for Grand Slam Track since the 1990s,[2] announced in February 2024 his intention to launch a track and field league in 2025. The league would include a series of events during the track season between April and September.[3] Johnson was reported to be investing money in the league.[4]
The announcement of the League in February 2024 came with the stated aims to increase and boost the sport of track and field in public consciousness and to promote the sport outside the four-yearly cycle of Olympic Games.[5] One of the aims is for the Track and Field League to resemble other sports leagues, with global athletes.[6] As opposed to once every four years like the Olympic Games, the Grand Slam Track league will occur four times every year.[7]
In May 2024, former middle-distance runnerKyle Merber confirmed he was employed as Senior Director of Racing.[8] Olympic champion and former sprinter Morolake Akinosun was announced as the Head of Athlete Relations in September 2024.
Among the first athletes to sign-up for the events in June 2024 were double Olympic champion 400 m hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and 2023 world champion and 2024 Olympic silver medalist in the 1500 m Josh Kerr.[9][10][11] In September 2024, it was confirmed that Cole Hocker and Yared Nuguse, the 2024 Olympic gold and bronze medalists respectively in the 1500 metres, had signed onto the league.[12] During this month sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley also signed onto the league.[13]
On 13 September 2024, LetsRun.com reported that the Grand Slam Track meet locations would be in Los Angeles, New York City, Kingston, Jamaica, and Birmingham with the events being held during two weeks in April and two in May, noting that they had not yet confirmed the information with a second source.[14] In November 2024, Grand Slam Track officially announced the four locations as Kingston, Los Angeles, Miramar, and Philadelphia.[15]
By 19 December 2024, the entire set of racers for the 2025 season was announced. The roster included 13 individual global gold medalists, although notable omissions included Noah Lyles and Sha'Carri Richardson.[16][17]
Overview
The league will have four "grand slam" events, or meetings, a season from April to September, including one in Los Angeles, one in another American city, and two in international cities. In each "Grand Slam" event or meeting, there will be six event categories for males and females, listed below. Each event category will feature two disciplines that competitors will compete in over the course of a weekend.[2]
For each category, there will be eight competitors in total. Four of these will be the "Grand Slam Racers", who, at the beginning of the season, will make the starting list of each of the four Grand Slam events, for a total of 48 consistent athletes present in each slam (four racers in six categories, male and female). They are chosen based on their world rankings and merits and are among the best in the world. The other four competitors will be the "Grand Slam Challengers", who are emerging athletes and will be attempting to earn a spot as a Grand Slam Racer for the following season. The Challengers will vary between Grand Slam meetings based on recent performances and potential matchups.[2]
From first to eighth place, points will be distributed as follows for each individual event: 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. The athlete with the best combined score between the two events in their category will be deemed the winner, or Slam champion, of that specific meeting. Should there be a tie, the lowest combined time will be utilised as a tiebreaker.[2]
The Grand Slam Track league offers a chance for athletes, should they win each of the four Slams in their event category, to win upwards of US$400,000.00 in a single season.[2]
Place
Prize money per slam
1st
$100,000.00
2nd
$50,000.00
3rd
$30,000.00
4th
$25,000.00
5th
$20,000.00
6th
$15,000.00
7th
$12,500.00
8th
$10,000.00
Broadcast
In February 2025, Grand Slam Track announced agreements with The CW, an over-the-air network, and the streaming service Peacock in the United States. All events will stream on Peacock while The CW will only air weekend coverage. NBC, whose parent company owns Peacock, will also air a highlight special.[46]
