Michael Johnson’s highly anticipated Grand Slam Track league is once again under fire, with mounting financial troubles threatening to overshadow its bold promises of revolutionizing the sport.
Launched with fanfare and billed as a game-changing, athlete-first initiative, the league has stumbled into controversy just months into its debut season.
At the heart of the storm is an outstanding facility rental fee owed to the City of Miramar, Florida, where Grand Slam Track held its Miami Slam event earlier this year. Public records reveal that the league has yet to pay any portion of the $77,896 bill for use of the Ansin Sports Complex. This includes a $30,000 installment that was due on July 18, part of a revised payment plan already designed to accommodate earlier delays.
Renowned athletics journalist Cory Mull confirmed the development via his X account, stating.
“Per a public records request, GST did not pay the $30,000 that was due on July 18th. They owe a total of $77,896 for the entire facility rental.”
More alarmingly, the Miramar venue was among the most affordable on the league’s calendar. If Johnson’s outfit cannot honor this basic commitment, skepticism is growing around its ability to finance higher operational costs, particularly athlete payments and upcoming events.
The silence from Johnson and his team has only deepened the unease, with no official statement addressing the missed deadline or the growing scrutiny.
Coe Issues Caution
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has also weighed in, expressing concern about the implications for athletes, many of whom were reportedly promised significant financial incentives.
“It’s not good,” Coe said, referencing the reports of unpaid appearance fees and bonuses.
“The one thing that World Athletics has always stood strongly behind is the athletes.”
Though Coe stopped short of suggesting intervention, he was clear in his expectations for any professional venture entering the sport.
“They have to be suffused in practicality and deliverability,” he warned.
Coe’s remarks reflect a broader anxiety in the track and field community. Some athletes were reportedly guaranteed up to $200,000 in appearance fees and additional bonuses worth $100,000 for championship performances. However, many have yet to receive payments beyond the Kingston leg of the competition.
A Promising Project Now Under a Cloud
What began as a visionary leap for professional athletics is now facing a reputational crisis. Johnson, an Olympic legend and four-time gold medalist, championed Grand Slam Track as a long-overdue overhaul of the sport, one that placed athletes at the center of a dynamic, media-savvy competition series.
Instead, the league is now undercut by missed payments, delayed commitments, and a worrying lack of transparency. While its promotional material continues to tout upcoming events and high-stakes matchups, behind the scenes, the foundation appears increasingly shaky.
For Johnson and his team, the challenge is now existential, Can Grand Slam Track regain control of the narrative and prove that its model is sustainable, or will it become yet another cautionary tale in the history of professional sport ventures?
As deadlines pass and patience wears thin, one thing is clear, Grand Slam Track is no longer simply battling for attention in the crowded world of athletics. It’s fighting to survive.