Track and field is undergoing a rite of passage, thanks to Michael Johnson. Well, it’s a work in progress but one of upliftment, nonetheless. Olympian Michael Johnson has harbored grand visions to set up from the ground up a revolutionary, state-of-the-art track and field league chock-a-block with amenities. By addressing the limitations in TV coverage and lack of major competitions, it aims to put athletes’ promotion and coverage in the forefront. It promises better pay as well, something that’s long overdue in this sport, where pittances are all that even top athletes rake in. But there’s a caveat to all of this, though.

Despite the ambitious vision, concerns have surfaced as the league has yet to reach out to potential participants. Or the advantages that it can give them. During a recent interview with sports journalist, 1500m star Yared Nuguse seemed like a deer in the headlights when asked about his potential participation in the league. Will Johnson be able to rope in Nuguse and other competent athletes in due time? 

Michael Johnson’s track and field league piques the interest of a clueless Yared Nuguse

In a recent post on X, Jonathan Gault posted a video of Yared Nuguse, captioning it, “I asked Yared Nuguse for his thoughts on Michael Johnson’s new track league.” Referring to the new track and field league to be launched by veteran Michael Johnson and whether Nuguse as an American sprinter doing well in the 1500m would be interested. But Nuguse looked bewildered and said he was not aware of such a thing. However, he added that it does sound like a prospect he’d like to partake in, saying, “I haven’t heard about it. Sounds interesting though. I’m down to try new things.” Michael Johnson’s new track and field league scheduled to begin next year has secured over $30M in investment from Winners Alliance, a global athlete licensing and sponsorship firm and other partners.

This presents a promising opportunity for athletes like Nuguse to showcase their skills to a wider audience. Using practices focused primarily on fan experience and unique storytelling, it will also aim to bring in the much needed moolah for track. According to a study, track and field viewers are “traditionalists” and not within the key demographic of ages 18 to 34 years. Michael Johnson is aiming to revive the viewership by promoting public attention towards it. It will help promote the sport outside of pigeonholed Olympic cycles. Johnson emphasized the reason behind his efforts, saying, “I love this sport and owe everything I have to this sport.”

Reflecting on his illustrious career and the impact of track and field, Michael Johnson expressed a deep sense of regret about the sport’s declining visibility in recent years adding, “It’s been a shame for me to watch it over the last couple decades since I retired not being able to continue to provide the same amazing moments to people, outside of just the Olympics.” The league that is to be launched in 2025 will work closely with World Athletics to complement the existing Diamond League competitions. Winner Alliance’s president Eric Winston also explained their reasoning behind the venture, saying, “It’s not just track; athletes are the main event. The NBA has made a push to put their athletes front and center and even the NFL, which was always a team-driven league, has done so as well.” The league will aim to replicate the success of major USA professional sports leagues, but how soon will we see this put on paper and in theory though?

His league is primed to take some great athletes to new heights

Yared Nuguse as the rising star in the 1500 meter event has become the top contender in the World Championships. Nuguse has won innumerable laurels at the tender age of 24. In the long form and Herculean 1500m, he holds the North American Indoor record. Possessing that X-factor that goes a long way on track, literally and figuratively. He has also clinched the coveted 2nd place in Glasgow 2024 in the 3000m. With these credentials making him the cynosure of Johnson’s track league, this could also inspire athletes like Noah Lyles or Sha’Carri Richardson to join the league and maximize its potential. With Netflix’s Sprint (a celluloid masterpiece featuring a sneak peek into athlete lives ahead of the Olympics) also turning heads, Johnson’s revered venture is yet another icing on the cake.

The league that will run from April to September will coincide with the traditional track and field season. This is especially good because at that time athletes will already be ready for competition. They will also look forward to scoping out their competitors for other big leagues. The league has already hired three agencies to promote it. Namely Doubleday & Cartwright, Two Circles, and SRK Strategies – to focus on graphical design, fan engagement, and public relations, respectively. Johnson believes the league can elevate the status of existing Diamond Leagues and we hope he’ll do right by the athletes, the sport and the common-folk alike.