Grand Slam Track, the high-profile athletics league founded to revolutionize the sport, is facing mounting scrutiny over delayed payments to athletes amounting to approximately $13 million. Despite launching with much fanfare and $30 million in funding, the league has yet to fully honor its financial commitments to the athletes who competed in its events across the spring season.
Only appearance fees for the league’s opening event in Kingston, Jamaica, held from April 4–6, have reportedly been paid to date. Prize money for that meet, as well as both appearance fees and prize money for the subsequent meets in Miami (May 2–4) and Philadelphia (May 31–June 1), remain outstanding. An email sent to athlete representatives earlier this week outlined the anticipated timeline for clearing the dues.
According to the communication, agents who submitted the necessary paperwork have received appearance fees for the Kingston meet. The league indicated plans to disburse the prize money for Kingston before the end of July and finalize all remaining payments including appearance fees for the Los Angeles meet, which was eventually canceled by the end of September.
Grand Slam Track’s financial difficulties come as a surprise, given its ambitious launch and strong backing. Created by four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson, the league had outlined a compelling prize structure designed to attract top global talent. Winners at each of the slam events were promised $100,000, with descending payouts of $50,000, $30,000, and $25,000 for second, third, and fourth place, respectively. Even eighth-place finishers were guaranteed $10,000, emphasizing the league’s promise to reward a wide field of competitors.
However, operational challenges began surfacing early. The inaugural meet in Jamaica was hampered by low attendance, and the Philadelphia leg initially planned as a three-day competition was shortened to two days. The final event, scheduled for Los Angeles on June 28–29, was ultimately canceled altogether, casting doubt on the league’s long-term viability.
The delayed payments have sparked growing concern among athletes and agents, many of whom are now questioning the league’s financial sustainability and organizational capacity. While the league maintains that payments are forthcoming and that efforts are being made to fulfill all obligations, the reputational damage may already be considerable.
The coming weeks will be critical for Grand Slam Track as it seeks to restore credibility and prove that its bold vision for professional track and field can be matched by financial and operational reliability. Athletes, fans, and industry stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether the league can deliver on its promises and sustain its place in the competitive athletics calendar.
