Now if you follow track and field, then we don’t need to tell you just how underpaid the athletes are. With less than 59% able to make more than $25,000, the sport needed a desperate change. That is when Michael Johnson appeared. His brainchild, Grand Slam Track, is supposed to bring the revolution that the track desperately needed. And with $100,000 as prize money for many, it seemed so. Add to this TV deal, and everything looked fixed. But now there’s a new threat looming, namely the low participation reward. So what’s Johnson’s take on this?
Well, to say the least, Johnson seems to be pretty honest with the fans. In a recent appearance on a podcast with CITIUS MAG, host Chris Chavez stated whether Johnson was open to an interesting idea. Chavez proposed the idea of Sifan Hasan doing a quadruple at a Grand Slam event. With multiple championships and 3 Olympic golds to her name across multiple middle-distance events, Hassan is the perfect addition to GST.
Needless to say, Johnson immediately agreed to the idea. He stated that Hasan was one of his favorite athletes. Continuing his praise for the Olympic champion, Johnson mentioned that Hasan’s work ethic aligns perfectly with those of GST. However, there was something that Johnson was worried about. It was the low participation prize of only $2000. This might appear to be a major issue for some athletes considering the cost of training, travel, nutrition, among others.
Johnson himself made this clear. He stated, “Unfortunately, our challenges—I mean, our challenges—you know it’s two; it’s a $2,000 appearance fee and you’re there for the prize money if you’re a challenger.” However, Johnson also promised that he was pretty intrigued by what Hasan was doing. And in return, he also mentioned how Hasan, too, was interested in the league.
Continuing his praises for Hasan, Johnson stated that the Dutch athlete is not at all afraid to give it her all while racing. Having an immense love for the sport, Johnson wants Hasan to decide freely whatever she wants to do in the GST. The US track legend said, “I mean what… we’ll let her do whatever she wants to do but she probably wants to try to do it all so yeah.” Surely, as the event is coming closer, the updates too, are getting quite interesting.
However, apart from all the rosy happenings, things can also get quite controversial. Right from the start, GST has been hit with multiple controversies. From choosing Jamaica as their opening destination to Noah Lyles lashing out for visibility. The problems have kept coming in. But standing his ground strongly, Michael Johnson has shut down all the hatred.
Michael Johnson fires back at Grand Slam Track criticism alongside defending exclusion of field events
Michael Johnson isn’t backing down. GST is preparing to shake up professional racing with its high-stakes format. With a $12.6 million prize pool, the track veteran is standing firm against mounting criticism from some of the sport’s top athletes. Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson have raised concerns about GST’s media strategy. It seems both the gold medalists aren’t yet sold on Michael’s vision.
Lyles in particular pointed to the league’s lack of a major broadcast deal as a key flaw. Tara Davis-Woodhall took to social media to slam Johnson’s focus on track alone, urging him to “stop ruining the sport.” But Johnson remains unfazed, reinforcing that GST is built to deliver what athletes and fans have long demanded. That is more exposure, better compensation, and compelling races.
“I love this sport,” Johnson told The Jamaica Gleaner on March 9, 2025, adding that GST is about saving track—not track and field. In the same interview with Citius Mag, he defended himself. He talked about his focus on racing alone as a strategic move to streamline the product for modern audiences. Johnson further explained, “Field events, while valuable, don’t fit the tight two-and-a-half-hour broadcast window GST targets.” And he stated yet again, “I think I can save track—not track and field.”
Addressing the media concerns, Johnson dismissed claims of inadequate exposure, pointing to secured U.S. broadcast deals with The CW and Peacock. “Athletes have been asking for more money, more exposure, more opportunities—this is it,” he asserted. Confident in his vision, it appears that Michael Johnson is very much ready to weather the backlash. Now fans are just waiting for GST to gear up to reshape the track landscape.
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