The underpayment of athletes has been one of the biggest dark points of sports in recent times. With multiple calls coming from the athletes about not getting paid enough, the likes of Alexis Ohanian and Michael Johnson took it upon themselves to address the issue. While the all-women affair of Ohanian, ATHLOS NYC was a huge success, the Grand Slam Track is also trying to follow suit. Set to kick off in April 2025, GST has already accumulated funding of over $30 million. 

According to the news, the first ones securing the first place will be awarded with a whopping $100,000 in cash. Moreover, there will be an accumulated prize pool of $12.6 million on offer for the athletes. And that’s not all. Michael Johnson has also announced some undisclosed amounts to be paid to all the athletes who will be signing up for the grand event. And the list already looks quite impressive. With a total of 48 athletes signed till now, there are some big names. 

The likes of Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Fred Kerley, Gabby Thomas, and Devon Allen will all be featured in the races. However, in a surprising turn of events, one notable name has been missing from the list. That is none other than Noah Lyles. One of the biggest issues for Lyles in the past has been GST’s inability to secure a proper broadcast partner. He opined that it is of utmost importance to try and get GST to reach as many people as possible. And the only way to do it was to get a broadcasting partner. 

Now that GST has got Peacock for live telecast, the entry of Noah Lyles must be smoothened. Well, not exactly. Opining on the topic, Michael Johnson spoke to talkSPORT, he said, “We’ve already signed our 48 Racers.” He further added, “To me, it’s always an insult to our 48 Olympic Champions, World Champions, fastest people in the world that we’ve signed to this league; they’re all accomplished in their own right.” Johnson also pointed out that each of the 48 challengers will be assigned to an individual slam. 

Johnson also looked confident while saying that if no one else joined GST, then he would not feel a sense of missing out. Quite expected, this might be interpreted as a direct dig to Noah Lyles. Meanwhile, this is not the first time that Noah Lyles has pointed out problems with the Grand Slam Track.

Noah Lyles called out Johnson’s Grand Slam Track’s biggest flaw

Noah Lyles did not hold back! Even with the excitement surrounding Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track (GST), the reigning Olympic champion remained unimpressed. His issue? The league’s failure to secure a major broadcast deal. Lyles has long advocated for better marketing in track and field, and despite GST’s financial incentives, he pointed out a glaring flaw. Without proper media exposure, he believes the league might fall short of its promise.

Lyles made his stance clear in an interview with LetsRun.com, saying, “[Grand Slam Track is] still in the same position [with me] as it has been all year.” For Lyles, it’s not just about prize money. He added, “Being the Olympic champion, I’ve already come in with a lot of accolades and a lot of things where I don’t need monetary value, but I really need marketing value.” His words may seem dismissive, given that many athletes would benefit from GST’s prize pool, but they highlight a crucial gap—visibility.

That gap remained unfilled at that time. Despite an initial $30 million investment, GST was yet to lock down a major television deal. While Citius Mag has stepped in to stream events on YouTube and support storytelling efforts, Lyles isn’t convinced. “And if a tree falls in the woods… did it make a sound?” he quipped, underscoring the lack of a mainstream media presence. Without that, he argues, GST risks failing to elevate track and field to the level of mainstream sports like basketball and football.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. GST entered a crowded field, competing against the Diamond League and World Athletics’ Ultimate Championship. While financial rewards might attract athletes, Lyles suggested it takes more than money to build a sport’s global appeal. Without top-tier broadcasting, GST’s ambitious vision remains incomplete. And that’s something Lyles was not willing to overlook.