Grand Slam Track cancels LA meet to bring abrupt end to debut season

RTÉ News​

a day ago

Grand Slam Track cancelled its Los Angeles meet on Thursday as the organisers brought the debut season of the novel athletics circuit to an abrupt end after three events.
The Michael Johnson-fronted track series lured in top talent with super-sized prize money but saw poor attendance at its kick-off meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, and later cut its third meet in Philadelphia from three to two days.
"The decision to conclude the inaugural Grand Slam Track season is not taken lightly, but one rooted in a belief that we have successfully achieved the objectives we set out to in this pilot season," Johnson said in a statement.
"As we've said all along, we were going to have learnings, make adjustments, and continue to improve. Sometimes we have to make moves that aren't comfortable, but what's most important is the future and sustainability of the league.
"The global economic landscape has shifted dramatically in the past year, and this business decision has been made to ensure our long-term stability ..."
The economics of the deal with Drake Stadium in Los Angeles was the motivating factor in cancelling what was intended to be the final meet of the year, Grand Slam Track sources told Reuters.
Organisers have offered full refunds to any fans who had bought tickets to the 28-29 June Los Angeles meeting and Johnson said the series would return in 2026.
"Our attention is now on 2026, with our eyes set on continuing to deliver the best-in-class storytelling, content, and competition," the four-times Olympic champion added.
"We are committed to calling Los Angeles home, and look forward to hosting a Slam in LA as part of the 2026 season."
Grand Slam was announced ahead of the 2024 Paris Games amid mounting concerns over athlete pay, as World Athletics for the first time paid $50,000 (€43,350) to gold medal winners in a controversial move that bucked 128 years of Olympic tradition.
With a whopping $12.6 million (€10.9m) in total prize money across what was set to be four meets, Johnson's start-up caught the attention of track's established circuits, as the long-time standard-bearer Diamond League added more to its prize pot.
Last month, Irish athlete Andrew Coscoran earned a $50k payday at the Miami Grand Slam Track meet after securing second place overall in the long distance events.
Sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden were awarded the Grand Slam Track Racers of the Year, the statement added.
Jefferson-Wooden, who like Bednarek was undefeated over the three meets, said she had no regrets about taking part.
"Change is not always easy or accepted, and I'm happy that Michael Johnson found a way to take a leap of faith and build something for the future of our sport," she said.