Track and field athletes like Tara Davis-Woodhall, Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, and more have put on world-class performances, but when it comes to pay? The struggle is real and they’re not alone. Athletes dedicate their lives to this sport, yet many can’t even make a sustainable living. Let’s take an example: Back in 2024, the Diamond League paid out a total of $9.24 million, with event winners taking home $60,000. Sounds decent until you compare it to the NFL, where practice squad players make at least $216,000 a season, and UFL players average $1.67 million.
The gap is massive, and let’s be real—this should’ve been fixed ages ago. But finally, an Olympic legend is stepping up, fighting for track and field athletes to get the pay they deserve. The big question—who’s actually listening? Turns out, after years of frustration, struggles, and straight-up exhaustion, people are paying attention. And not just anyone—a former track and field star with four Olympic gold medals is leading the charge, pushing for real change. Who? Michael Johnson!
Michael Johnson just shook things up on X with a post that had everyone doing a double-take. Instead of just complaining about track and field’s pay gap, he laid out some cold, hard facts, and the numbers weren’t just bad; they were embarrassing. He didn’t even compare the top athletes. Nope. He went for the 100th highest-paid athlete in different sports. And what did he find?
Any guesses how much the 100th highest paid track & field athlete makes? This does NOT include endorsements so shoe contracts don’t count? Hint: Track & Field #1 doesn’t equal tennis #100. But I’m about to change that! pic.twitter.com/9lGUTWJovR
— Michael Johnson (@MJGold) March 20, 2025
It was like track and field didn’t even exist. The NFL? Even the 100th best-paid player made $17.3 million in 2024. NBA? They weren’t far behind with $14 million, and MLB followed with $13 million. Then came Premier League players at $8.1 million, while NHL players, who are often overlooked compared to other sports, still made $7.7 million. Golfers from the PGA, LIV, and LPGA managed $3.1 million, and even tennis players from the ATP and WTA earned $1.2 million. But here’s where it gets downright painful.
Johnson’s caption said it all: “Any guesses how much the 100th highest-paid track and field athlete makes? This doesn’t NOT include endorsements so shoe contracts don’t count? Hint: Track and field #1 doesn’t equal tennis’ 100th.” It’s almost like track and field doesn’t exist when it comes to the money game. These athletes are putting in just as much work, breaking records, and representing their countries on the biggest stages, yet they’re barely making enough to get by. But wait.
Johnson brings more than the identification of issues to the table. His focus now is to revolutionize the sport. His new Grand Slam track league represents an active initiative for addressing the situation instead of simply discussing solutions. Well, we know track and field athletes have endured a long period of being disregarded as if they did not exist. But that’s about to change. So, what is Johnson offering?
Well, 6-figure salaries, that’s what. Each of the four events in this series includes a total prize pool of $12.6 million, which creates a remarkable payment structure. The league rewards each winning event entry with a total payment of $150,000, which equals the World Championships gold medal prize amount. Receiving second position gives athletes $75,000, while those who place third receive $50,000. Each participant obtaining placement ranging as low as eighth place will receive $10,000 to ensure fair compensation for their effort.
Athletes who win all four GST events stand to earn $600,000 in prize money as the total payoff. But wait, see the irony! World Championship gold medalists earn $150,000 in prize money while receiving the same amount as GST’s event winner payout. The prize money earned by winners of Diamond League events reaches $30,000, while prize amounts decrease substantially for lower finishing positions. But big changes are happening!
Even Athlos made a major increase in their commitment by supporting the women’s track and field meet with financial backing from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. The prize money reached beyond $500,000, with each competition winner receiving $60,000 during the Athlos Track and Field event. And seeing this, the Diamond League also enhanced its prize pool to $9.24 million as an answer to rising competition for 2025.
The league final winner maintains their existing payout of $30,000, while the biggest changes affect lower finishers who now receive compensation between 9th and 12th position. Also, the Diamond Disciplines program rewards athletes with up to $20,000 at series meetings and $50,000 at the finals. The league will distribute $18 million this season between promotional fees and equal payouts to all genders in its programming. Also, a budget of $6 million exists for athlete services that cover travel expenses and accommodation costs.
So yeah, things are starting to change, but GST? It’s about to take things to a whole new level. This didn’t happen by chance. Athletes stopped staying silent—remember Tara Davis-Woodhall’s powerful voice?
Tara Davis-Woodhall sounds the alarm
Well, Tara Davis-Woodhall, back in 2023, burst with anger when she called out the harsh reality that many track and field athletes faced. She wasn’t just venting—she was shedding light on what countless others were silently enduring as the USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, approached.
Taking to social media, she pointed out how “the athletes are struggling to come to nationals,” and revealed that her airfare alone from Fayetteville, Arkansas, had cost around $1,200. For an athlete trying to stay at the top of her game, that’s a huge financial hit before even getting a chance to compete.
But Tara wasn’t alone in this. Kenny Bednarek was just as vocal. Back in June 2023, he fired off a tweet that hit home for many, stating, “The prices of hotels, car rentals, Airbnbs & flights to Eugene have gotten way out of control.” He didn’t sugarcoat it either, adding that flying his entire team down was “a very expensive affair out of pocket.”
Alaysha Johnson, who finished second in the 100m hurdles at the NYC Grand Prix, was another athlete who spoke up. As an unsponsored athlete, she emphasized how unfair it was that athletes had to shoulder such financial burdens just to compete. She stated, “It’s better to have something more central, that’s more affordable for every athlete of all calibers. If they have the standard, they should be able to come and not worry about being in debt.”
Even Noah Lyles had a suggestion that could change the game. He pitched the idea of moving the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials to Miami next year, where, in his words, “I would really, really love for it to come to Miami. I know that the stars will come out. (Lionel Messi) just moved to Miami—if we have Messi showing up to the Olympic Trials, I mean, what more do you need?” Lyles wasn’t just thinking about affordability—he was envisioning a high-profile, star-studded event that could elevate the sport’s exposure and excitement.
The location itself added to the problem. Eugene, affectionately known as “Tracktown, USA,” may hold a special place in American athletics, but its remote geography made it difficult and expensive to reach. For athletes traveling from all corners of the country, the costs quickly spiraled out of control.
The frustration was loud and clear. Athletes who had dedicated their lives to the sport were being priced out of competing at the highest levels. Tara Davis-Woodhall and her fellow athletes made clear that track and field should be about performance, not about who can afford to get there. But now maybe things will finally get good for all of them.
The post Countless Breakdowns of Tara Davis-Woodhall & USA Stars Finally Relieved by Olympic Legend’s Firm Promise appeared first on EssentiallySports.