Michael Johnson’s new track league is getting an endorsement from one of the sport’s best.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has agreed to become the first racer for Grand Slam Track (GST), a global multi-event league which officially launched Tuesday. As part of her agreement, the two-time Olympic champ will also serve as a brand ambassador and will help promote the fan-focused league.
The rest of the inaugural class has yet to be announced, but McLaughlin-Levrone is no doubt a headliner. The reigning Olympic gold medalist enters GST as the world record holder for the 400-meter hurdles entering the Paris Summer Olympic Games. Her inclusion in GST, which will host its first event next April, represents the league’s ambition to secure the sport’s most talented athletes and engage the next generation of fans.
“Sydney got it right away and I knew that she would,” Johnson, a four-time Olympic champion, said in an interview. “She’s one of those athletes that likes to race on the big stage. She loves it … So, when I presented this to her—telling her she would get that same sort of vibe, audience and grand scale four times a year—she was all about it.”
McLaughlin-Levrone will also be able to sport New Balance during the Slams as GST will not sign a sponsorship deal with a shoe company, which is common for other pro track and field events. This decision allows the top racers like McLaughlin-Levrone to add extra value and please the needs of their sneaker sponsor in front of millions without any limitations. In fact, GST is encouraging racers to collaborate with their sponsors to create customized kits and show off their personality in a way unseen in track and field.
GST will be based in Los Angeles and in 2025, the city will host one of four events, which includes two international competitions. Johnson, along with McLaughlin-Levrone and other GST runners, will be spreading the word about new league on the ground in Paris this summer, with various promotional events planned.
“We plan to use the Olympics to send a message to the world that come next April, you’re going to get this again, and four times next year. And every year going forward,” Johnson said. “We’re excited about our opportunity to springboard off the [Olympics] and tell them that it’s not going to be over.”
GST reports it has received more than $30 million in financial commitments from investors, partners and other stakeholders. Johnson says prize money will be split starting from $100,000 for the first-place winner to $10,000 for eighth place for each Slam event.
McLaughlin-Levrone is one of 48 athletes who will be exclusively signed to GST, where they will earn a base salary and are contractually committed to racing in all four events. The GST Racers will also be included in the league’s group licensing deal and have access to other revenue-making opportunities. Winners Alliance, the operator and capital partner for GST, is also assisting with helping the track athletes commercialize their rights.
Selected by the GST racing committee, another 48 athletes (GST Challengers) will be paid to compete in individual slams. They will fill a role as outside competitors looking to upset the sport’s biggest stars. GST looks to host competitive events that form new rivalries between top talent while creating media content for partners that will captivate track fans new and old. All the racers will compete twice over the three-day event, which will meet World Athletics regulations, and achieved marks will be eligible for rankings and standards.
Racers and Challengers will be assigned to compete in one of the categories: short sprints (100m/200m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), long sprints (200m/400m), long hurdles (400H/400m), short distance (800m/1500m), or long distance (3000/5000m).
“Fans have been at an all-time high level of frustration over the last few years because they’re not seeing the best of the best athletes competing against each other,” Johnson added. “It’s about bringing that head-to-head competition to the fans … We want to give them what they want.”
