Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track is finally here and will debut this week in Jamaica and will bring dozens of Olympic and world medalists who will be competing for those $100,000 prizes. Backed by nearly $30 million in funding, the league will feature 48 top athletes across its four-meet 2025 season. The Diamond League, meanwhile, is gearing up for its season opener in Xiamen, China—in just under four weeks. For 15 years, the Diamond League has been hosting its premier meets, but now, Grand Slam Track is also stepping in, and the competition is real. And amidst its backdrop, Diamond League CEO Petr Stastny has something to say!!

As it prepares for its season opener in Xiamen, China, another major shift is taking place—one that has left American track fans frustrated. The Diamond League is moving to FloTrack for exclusive U.S. broadcasting, ending an eight-year partnership with NBC. For years, NBC and its streaming platform Peacock provided coverage of Grand Slam Track’s probable rival Diamond League meets, but that often meant fans had to settle for streaming instead of live TV. In 2024, only five meets made it to television, one on NBC and four on CNBC. That lack of exposure played a role in the Diamond League’s decision to move to FloTrack, even though it comes at a much higher cost for fans.

Many were outraged when the switch was announced. Peacock offered a $7.99 monthly subscription, while FloTrack’s monthly fee is a staggering $29.99. Even the annual pricing is a steep jump—$79.99 for Peacock versus $150 for FloTrack. Under this new deal, the Prefontaine Classic will be the only Diamond League meet shown on traditional American television.

Diamond League CEO Petr Stastny acknowledges the challenging situation they faced with NBC. “As we do have 16x two hours of programming, it is not always easy to get attractive slots for live coverage on free-to-air,” Stastny explained to LETSRUN.COM. “Now, with the move to FloSports, we will not have that day on free-to-air, but it also was not a really satisfactory situation.” This change comes as NBC focuses on building toward the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The network’s decision to let the rights go probably suggests viewership numbers weren’t meeting expectations, particularly since many European meets air during weekday afternoons in America. Stastny emphasizes their global approach: “For us, it’s the overall picture that counts. Even though we see the US as an important market and a big country with a lot of inhabitants, we have 150 of those around the world.”

He points to varying broadcast models across different regions. “We also have other countries, not just the US, where there is a pay operation. Having said that, in Europe, many countries where we are on free-to-air. Sometimes it is live, sometimes it is delayed.” When questioned about FloSports’ smaller subscriber base compared to Peacock, Stastny remains optimistic: “Technical reach does not translate always into viewership. Maybe they will even promote our product more than has been done in the past.” But how is Grand Slam Track planning to broadcast its meets?

Grand Slam Track secured a broadcast deal with Peacock and CW

Two months ago, Michael Johnson’s ambitious new track league took a big step forward, securing a media deal with Peacock and The CW. The move ensures that all four events in the 2025 season will be streamed live on Peacock, while The CW will broadcast the weekend races.

With this deal, NBC Sports—Peacock’s parent company and the Olympic rights holder—regains a presence in track and field after dropping Diamond League coverage last year. The CW, known for carrying ACC football, Pac-12 games, and NASCAR’s Xfinity Series, is making another bet on live sports after its LIV Golf deal ended.

Johnson, a four-time Olympic champion, has lined up 96 top-tier athletes (Challengers and Racers), including Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Gabby Thomas, for the league’s debut on April 4 in Kingston, Jamaica. Grand Slam Track is offering massive payouts, including $100,000 for winners and a total prize pool exceeding $12.6 million.