Michael Johnson is looking to change the landscape of track and field forever, and he is not playing around! It is the conviction of a track and field icon who’s had enough of the sport’s broken system. For years, elite athletes have been forced to navigate a landscape where prize money is scarce. Competition is inconsistent, and fans rarely get to see the best go head-to-head. But Johnson is here to flip the script.

 Enter Grand Slam Track (GST). A revolutionary league that is rewriting the rules, locking in the world’s fastest athletes, and finally giving fans what they’ve always wanted. The best of the best, racing each other, every single time. With a jaw-dropping $12.6 million prize pool and an unprecedented $100,000 first-place payout, this isn’t just another meet. It’s a game-changer.

And as Michael Johnson himself puts it, this isn’t just about more money. It’s about fixing a sport that has left its greatest stars without the platform they deserve. On his latest appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson didn’t hold back about what’s been holding track and field back for years. He highlighted a glaring issue. You barely get the best athletes competing against one another because they’re not incentivized to do so, the prize money is not significant,” Johnson explained.

“We’re actually paying these athletes. We’ve signed with the first people ever signed with the first league that actually signs the best athletes to a league.” Unlike other professional sports where top talent faces off regularly. Track stars have been free to pick and choose their events, often skipping major showdowns due to lack of incentives. That’s exactly what Grand Slam Track (GST) is here to change. “This is significant; it means something. Our prize money at $100,000 for first place is the largest prize money that’s ever been paid in the sport.” This shift is massive—by guaranteeing payment and requiring participation, GST ensures that the track’s biggest names can’t just dodge competition. Every race will bring elite showdowns, raising the stakes like never before.

GST, launching in April 2025, is set to bring a structure track that has been missing. With four major Slams across Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, and 96 athletes (48 GST Racers and 48 Challengers), this isn’t just another meet. It’s a movement. Johnson, who has called the track “broken for a long time,” is on a mission to fix it.

Can Grand Slam Track overcome its biggest roadblocks?

Despite the excitement surrounding Grand Slam Track (GST), the league faces major logistical and structural hurdles. Organizing four high-stakes events with a $12.6 million prize pool requires flawless execution—from securing venues to coordinating athlete schedules. All while competing with the established Diamond League for calendar space. Moreover, criticism has followed this event like a shadow!

Even top athletes like Noah Lyles have voiced concerns. He questioned, “The scheduling is very odd, in my opinion, especially from a marketing standpoint.” Any missteps could damage GST’s credibility. Especially given the skepticism already brewing within the track community. However, Johnson remains undeterred, responding, “You are always going to have some resistance.” Beyond the logistical concerns, GST is also facing philosophical and cultural resistance within the track and field world. By exclusively spotlighting track events, Johnson’s league has drawn criticism from those who feel field events have been unfairly excluded.

Long jumper Tara Davis openly called out GST, accusing it of “ruining the sport” by sidelining athletes in jumps and throws. Johnson, however, stands firm in his belief that GST will be a game-changer for the track’s top athletes, telling BBC Sport, “My objective is to create opportunities athletes have always wanted and put them on a stage worthy of their greatness.” With over $30 million in investor funding, he is determined to follow through, adding, “They deserve that. The sport deserves that. The fans who want to see that deserve that. And I’m focused on making sure they get it.”

GST has garnered strong support from some of the sport’s biggest stars. Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has backed Johnson’s vision. Other track icons like Carl Lewis see GST as a career-defining opportunity. While influential figures such as UCLA’s Director Joanna Hayes and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe recognize its potential to reshape the sport’s future. The question now is, can GST overcome the pushback and prove it’s here to stay?