Olympic sprint champion Noah Lyles has spoken out following the abrupt collapse of Grand Slam Track (GST), a track and field league founded by athletics legend Michael Johnson.
While Noah Lyles had previously voiced skepticism about the project’s long-term viability, he says the fallout now threatens more than just event schedules.
As reported by Chase Athletics in March, when GST was gearing up for its April meet in Jamaica, Noah Lyles raised red flags about the league’s shaky foundation. He questioned its marketing muscle and its inability to draw big-name sponsors outside track and field.
“Money is not the thing that’s going to drive me every time,” Noah Lyles said.
“Who are your outside sponsors, who are your non-track and field sponsors? I haven’t even heard a block’s sponsor.”
Despite his concerns, Noah Lyles remained cautiously hopeful.
“I would love nothing more than for this to be successful,” he stated.
Grand Slam Track canceled its Los Angeles season finale less than 90 days later. Johnson, in a statement, attributed the decision to financial strain, revealing that staging the meet at UCLA would have cost the league over $2 million, a figure too risky to shoulder without fresh investment.
Noah Lyles warned this instability would happen. Speaking on July 18 in a conversation with host James Emeritt, Lyles reflected on the situation with a mix of disappointment and concern.
“That’s never good to hear,” he said.
“It means you weren’t able to make it the first full year, accomplishing all the goals you had planned.”
Yet for Lyles, the damage runs deeper than a canceled meet. He warned that the premature collapse could plant seeds of doubt among athletes considering future independent leagues or events.
“Any athlete who’s saying, ‘Hey, I was a part of this, and even though I was a part of it, it wasn’t able to succeed’, it shakes confidence,” he explained.
“It chips away at trust and plants doubts in the minds of athletes already walking a tightrope in a sport that rarely guarantees stability.”
While Lyles had no desire to see GST fail, he insists that any future projects must prioritize financial sustainability, athlete welfare, and credible sponsorships. Only then, he believes, can the sport avoid repeating the same mistakes and begin building platforms athletes can trust.
