On September 18th, the Diamond League upped its prize money to $9.24 million, but Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track had something to say about that. Their X account cheekily posted, “EVERY. SINGLE. SLAM. 💰,” followed by, “Catch the fastest racers in the world compete for the largest prize money in the sport four times a year!” That second post? A clear swipe at Diamond League’s cash pot, which looks pretty modest compared to what Grand Slam Track by Michael Johnson is serving up.

For context: the Diamond League pays $10,000 to each winner and $30,000 to the season champ. But Grand Slam Track? They’re throwing down $100,000 for meet winners, with $50k and $30k for second and third place. If an athlete wins all four events, they could walk away with a hefty $400,000. That’s a game-changer for track and field, where athletes have long been underpaid. Johnson seems determined to fix that—and it’s not the only issue he’s tackling.

In an interview with CitusMag’s Emerole Anderson, Michael Johnson dove into another hurdle: finding the right broadcast partners. While he knows it’s important to get quality partners, prime-time slots are a must. Johnson laid it out, saying, “In track, there’s been a struggle to get good quality broadcast partners putting the sport in prime time. You’ve got quality broadcast partners, but can you get in the prime time slots that you need to be in order to reach the broadest audience. That’s been the struggle for the sport. So I understand, and people are concerned about that. We have to be in that position. Failure is not an option.”

Back in April, Diamond League shook things up by signing a multiyear deal with FloSports as their new broadcast partner starting in 2025. This came after their NBC deal ran its course—remember when you could stream the Diamond League on Peacock for a chill $5.99 a month? Well, things are about to get pricier. FloTrack, which already covers the Continental Tour and World Athletics Indoor Tour, charges a whopping $29.99 a month or $149.99 annually.

Fans aren’t exactly thrilled. In fact, many are calling out the steep price hike. One frustrated fan even commented on Citius Mag’s announcement, “I’d pay 29.99 a month to ban flotrack.” And this right here is where Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track needs to tread carefully. Sure, they’re offering huge prize money, but if they fall into the same trap of overpriced streaming, they could face similar backlash. Fans want access, not empty wallets. Plus, they need to act fast—if Grand Slam Track fumbles this decision, they might miss their shot at securing a premier athlete like Noah Lyles.

Noah Lyles’ reluctance to sign for Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track due to broadcasting

In an interview with ESPN, Noah Lyles was asked about potentially signing with Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam track. While fellow US athletes Kenny Bednarek and Fred Kerley have already jumped on the project, Noah Lyes was a little reluctant. His main concern? The lack of a broadcast deal. Without it, the Olympic gold medalist isn’t ready to commit. He said, “The problem with our sport right now is that we have great performances, but nobody’s able to see them. So, until I hear about a TV sponsor [for GST], I don’t know that I can make a decision yet.”

That said, Noah is rooting for Johnson’s efforts. He acknowledged, “What Johnson is doing for the sport is great, and I know how hard it is to create a league and go against the grain.” he said. But until the Grand Slam Track locks down a broadcast partner that can actually bring the competition to a wide audience, Noah remains skeptical. Michael Johnson is going to have to move fast—if he doesn’t secure the right deal soon, he could lose out on one of the biggest stars in track and field today.