Michael Johnson Reveals Everything You Need To Know About Grand Slam Track: Coming In 2025

“What’s exciting is that in this new role, I’m able to bring athletes and fans what they’ve been asking for and just screaming out for – more head-to-head matchups, more fans getting to know these athletes, athletes able to connect better with their fans, athletes being able to realize more value for themselves. Fans are frustrated that they’re hearing these stories of the athletes that they love to support and are frustrated that they’re not able to capitalize on their greatness. So with Grand Slam Track, I’m able to bring that to fans and athletes. That brings a smile. It makes me happy.”

Michael Johnson is one of the greatest sprinters of all-time with his 12 gold medals. However, he joins me as the new commissioner of Grand Slam Track. Michael is on a mission to revive his beloved sport, track and field, which has long struggled to capture the U.S. public’s attention outside of the Olympics. Grand Slam is set to debut in 2025.

This league aims to engage fans with a TV-friendly format, spotlighting the sport’s biggest stars, and drawing new audiences through compelling storytelling. I speak for CITIUS MAG in sharing our excitement to be partnering with the league to share in their mission on athlete storytelling and we’ll be helping them with our own resources and expertise to connect them with our super loyal and engaged track and field diehard audience.

With a significant investment exceeding $30 million, Michael is determined to bring the essence of the sport to the forefront, putting athletes center stage like never before.

Grand Slam Track will host four annual Slams in global cities – starting in April 2025. Los Angeles will serve as the league’s home, hosting one of these exciting events. The league has already signed its first star racer, 400m hurdles Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. In my conversation with Michael, we talk about the fan’s frustration around now watching some of the top stars compete more and how this aims to change much of that.

Each year, 48 elite athletes will be named GST Racers, competing across various categories and vying for substantial prize money.

Hear a bit more about Michael’s vision for the future of track and field and the challenges he’s tackling. We’ll delve into how this new league plans to fit in among the existing competitions like the Diamond League and leverage the excitement of the upcoming Paris Olympics and the Netflix series to galvanize support from fans and athletes alike.

Host: Chris Chavez | https://www.instagram.com/chris_j_chavez/
Guest: Michael Johnson | https://www.instagram.com/mjgold4

Read a complete guide to the new league here: ⁠http://citiusmag.com/articles/michael-johnson-professional-track-league-grand-slam-track-everything-you-need-to-know⁠

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[Music] all right and now we welcome on a good friend of the podcast Michael Johnson who has a new title Commissioner of grand slam track you’re all smiles and what I love about this is sort of you know we saw you and Eugene you had to keep a tight lip but now it’s time finally to let the public know um and you know what what has got you so excited about this new role yeah you know what’s exciting is is we’re able to in this new Ro I’m able to bring athletes and fans what they’ve been asking for and just screaming out for as you know Chris you know over the last the last few years you know more head-to-head matchups more you know fans getting to know these athletes athletes able to connect better with their fans um yeah and athletes being able to you know realize more value for themselves f are frustrated that you know they’re hearing these stories of the athletes that they love to support are frustrated and not being able to you know capitalize on their greatness so with grand slan track um I’m able to bring that to to fans and athletes so yeah that that brings a smile that makes me happy we did have a conversation in our backyard at the city’s house in 2022 that you know it’s funny if you go back and relisten to that conversation there’s little breadcrumbs of like what would be in store eventually for Grand Slam track but at the time you know we you know Kyle and myself threw out this idea to you was like why you know haven’t you ever stepped into a leadership role within like the current structure of track and field and so you know now that this opportunity came about what led to sort of like this I wouldn’t call it a change of heart but now like you are in a position to create some change and you know what what happened in the last two years since that you know backyard interview that led to to this being possible yeah a couple of things so one you know um you know when we had that conversation and and a lot of conversations I’ve had over the years people have asked me to get involved in the current structure of the sport so getting in in the current structure of the sport is primarily all around you know sort of the federations that you know um are are intimately involved in the organization of this Sport and that’s not a structure that I thrive in I’ve been an entrepreneur for the last 24 years since I retired and and that’s an area that I thrive in and commercialized businesses and and Ventures um and so um I was able to to sell my my my last company a couple of years ago right after you know we had that conversation I sold that company and um yeah and then um you know it’s left me with with time on my hands to you know figure out what I want to do next and you know the combination of those things and just what we’re seeing right now in the sport of track and field where you it’s the greatest collection of you know personalities I’ve seen in the 24 years since I left the sport and they maybe even before um we’re seeing unprecedented investment right now into sport in general um from a investment standpoint from a media standpoint as well there’s an insatable appetite for you know for for sport from from fans around the world so it’s a great time to actually invest into sport so all of those G things came together you know and made sense for me that this is the opportune time and a perfect time to actually take this sport to the next level so I want this you know knowing that we’ve we’ve got limited time to essentially this is you speaking direct to track fan like the listeners of this show every single week like this is your Target demographic so I want them to leave knowing the who what when where how of grand slam track to the extent of you know what’s what’s public so let’s start with just sort of how this league operates and it’s different from anything else yeah so it’s different from current track and Phil but very similar to thriving professional sports uh where there is an actual league and that’s what Grand Slam track is we are a league of athletes 48 athletes best of the best best in the world a very exclusive group of the best fastest and most popular athletes in the world who compete four times a year um in you know major Premier level um slams as we call them um that are you know Prime Time television that breakthrough that you know are um you know high stakes High priz money $100,000 for first place all the way through to $10,000 for last place but our athletes again are part of the league so we sign these 48 athletes to the league they receive base compensation just like any athlete who sign for the league you know and any other professional sport does and uh but then they also are eligible for prize money on top of that so um the whole format of this of the the league our competition format is such that our athletes are grouped uh eight athletes in a group each one of those groups uh competes across two different race distances over a three-day weekend their combined score across those two races determines uh their winnings or and and and the placers um we um you know will be able to from a presentation standpoint present the Sport and our events in a way that is modern uh that allows us to really bring the fan not just the Avid fan you know but the Casual fan as well into the sport and understand the sport um and and be able to be entertained by it so having time during our broadcast to be able to set up the races and bring people in and help them understand the players understand the athletes and their stories and understand you know why they’re here and why they have an opportunity to win this and then letting that race take place and then allowing us to actually celebrate that race on the other side I mean as a fan you know you we want that fan you know the a fans are already invested in an athlete and they want that athlete to win we want that casual fan to have that same feeling but once that’s over the last thing you want as a fan who’s now invested your time in that to just leave that event and now we got to jump over here to something else you know we we want to you know we we have time to celebrate that um allow the a the opportunity to be front and center and you know and and and for people to celebrate their win yeah so one of the things that came up in our conversation in the backyard though was too many meets and we were all kind of in agreement but now here we are for new meets taking place you’re calling them slams you know how do we get the fans invested and and so it like it’s determining the stakes why should the fans care why should the athletes care to be part of the league yeah so you know what fans have said they want is exactly what they’re going to see you know about a month from now in Paris at the Olympics they’ll see the best of the best athletes competing against one another high stakes nobody makes any mistake about the fact that everybody wants to win that race right only one person can but everybody wants to that’s compelling you’re going to see you know the the the the thrill of victory the agony of defeat that defines Sport and that’s why fans watch sport you going to see that over the past you know last year as a good example you know the top we saw that one time with the top M Spinners the top three male spiners only competed against one another one time last year the top three female Spinners in the world only competed against one another two times last year the the fans are there they want to see it it’s not a what we have in this sport is not a demand problem it’s not that people don’t want to see this sport they do there are 2.5 billion people around the world world who watch track and Phi are interested in the sport of track and fil the problem is if we’re not providing we have a supply problem we’re not providing them what they want and Grand Slam track is designed to do just that when people will look at this and some people may be quick to be like well the rich are only going to get richer I think that the thing is the track and field Rich aren’t all that rich yeah the track and field Rich are certainly aren’t as rich as the best athletes in the world in other sports and and that’s what I’m that’s what I’m here to change um and to make sure that those athletes I’ve seen the frustration not only with the athletes that they are the best in the world and not only are they not compensated in that way because there’s no structure to do so but also they’re not recognized as well as they should be for their greatness whereas their cohorts in other sports are a much greater uh scale and I’ve seen the frustration as well with fans because they’re supporting those athletes they love this athlete and then they find that oh well my you know favorite athlete is financially struggling and they’re the one of the best in the world or my my my you know favorite athlete is doing well but you know not as well as you know this athlete over here in the other Sport and more people should know them and they should be doing better and that’s what I a to change yeah so let’s go through what you you mentioned the athletes will compete multiple times what is the structure of the events yeah so we divide the athletes into groups uh we have six men groups six uh female groups um short sprinters long Sprints middle distance uh or short distance long distance um short hurdles long hurdles so each one of those groups we have a male group and a female group and um each one of those groups they will run there are eight athletes in the group they will run two races over the weekend so the shorts Sprints uh it’s 10000 long Sprints 2400 uh short distance 8500 Long Distance 3K 5K short Sprints 100 or 110 met hurdles and 100 flat the long hurdles rather is uh 400 meter hurdles and 400 flat and so each one of those athletes will run both of those races over the weekend their combined score uh determines their placing it leads to some interesting races sometimes where it’s like you go assuming you know this is all when we throw out names hypothetical they sign and join the League a grant Holloway yeah on one day he’s hurling but then the next day you get to see him in the hundred exactly and you know so you get to see it it brings out the different skill sets of the athletes these are all worldclass athletes they’re all the best in the world some of them will have one of the events will be a stronger event for one of those eight athletes but the other athlete the other event the second event is the stronger a so but it’s it’s their their placings across boat that determines whether they win the slam or not and it just provides one for our fans an opportunity to see these athletes two times uh over a weekend as opposed to just once but it also adds some different uh stakes and some different strategy for the athletes um when they’re competing and and that just provides a better experience um ultimately for the F so you know I think when we look online and you see sort of athlete X is pulled out of this rate or that race and you know there were fans who probably bought tickets to go see them there’s been you know obvious frustrations over time of not being able to see some of the best athletes compete so what how do you kind of pitch that buy in to the athletes like this might be Kyle’s job but to compete in this league where it’s like that you have to show up to these four events and then what if they don’t yeah so you know the athletes need to buy into the concept first and and you know and and and athletes are you know they understand and so you know look you’re you’re only going to be able to you know when athletes say I want to be you know recognized and compensated you know for being the best in the world well in order to do that you have to then put yourself out there to entertain a financial source to be compensated that Financial source is fans if you look at any other sport I mean like the the Dallas Mavericks which is my team you know I was a former owner of that team and I still follow them we told them but I still follow that team and you know they can’t just show up when they want to show up and play they have a schedule that is mandated by the league and they have to show up and play on those days and that’s why you know the athletes are making you know 10 15 20 $30 million a year because they are an entertainment source to a fan uh which is a revenue source and that’s what we have that’s what a real true professional League uh provides so the athletes who get that understand that you know will certainly Buy in but at the same time you know the athletes themselves have expressed that frustration that yeah I want to compete on a grand scale I want you know more than just one time you know every four years to be able to compete in front of a large audience where there’s you know there’s it means something and it’s important when the first article came out about the league there were there was I think a line in there that says you don’t view this as a competitor to the diamond league and it’s an interesting line to sort of like tread because it is sort of new and disruptive so I’m curious if you could elaborate on just like how you don’t see this as a competitor to the diamond league and I remember you know Jonathan G tried to get you to ask the you ask answer the question was like what are your frustrations with the diamond league and you know I’m not speaking for you here but I don’t view it as a league it’s a series of meets there’s no obligation for these athletes to compete and that I think there’s no through line through each one of them and that is the first thing you need to consider anything a league yeah so so you know I I think that you know for us you know what has been missing from the landscape of track and field is exactly what we’re bringing and that is you know head-to-head competition where all of the best athletes compete against one another uh you don’t see that again you know last year for the top three men you saw that only one time and that was in Budapest at the World Championships you don’t see that at the diamond League um that’s what’s been missing so what we’re bringing the reason why I don’t see ourselves as a competitor to anything else out there is because what we’re bringing is very unique it is it’s its own thing um you know look you know the the whole thing about you know the number of meets out there there were 2500 athletes I believe that competed in Budapest at the World Championships last year that’s 2500 basically professional athletes in the sport you do need a lot of meats to satisfy that sort of number of athletes darl I think people don’t understand and Fa to understand how many athletes in this sport are considered professional and Elite you have to have a lot of meats in order because those people need somewhere to compete right so but our athletes are the best of the best they’re their own group of exclusive group of the most popular fastest athletes in the world nothing exists until now that gives them their own unique and exclusive leag for them to compete in where and and for fans to find an area where I know if I go here I’m going to see the best of the best if you’re a basketball fan you know if you want to watch the best basketball in the world where all of the best athletes compete it is the NBA right we haven’t had and the same thing for every other sport golf it’s the PGA tour right football it’s the NFL you have other leagues but the best the best have their own League we have not had that in in track and now we do so I you know got carried away you know thinking ahead a little bit I’m not going to let you go off with why no field events I I have to ask it because I’m sure there’s people wondering what was the rationale and I guess you know just speaking to that when you’re throwing out these stats it sounds like there’s more than what it’s not just you making these decisions there is data and information behind every single reason decision absolutely and we we have our our our partner on this um has you know done a great job of providing our data partner on doing research focus groups diving into the actual research in details as opposed to just a gut or a feeling um you know we have data to back this up and we have to given them the level of investment that we put into this um our reasoning for no field events is that one of the things that we understand about modern sports is and this is one of the rules that you know was absolutely critical in developing this whole product is one event at a time we will have one one event at a time we will never stray from that the athletes in those different events in order for them to be on you know that stage that we want them on they deserve to have undivided attention on them in a two and a half hour window which is our our our television window and and live broadcast window and live inperson event window or an event each day you know we can’t put field events in there and fit it in if we’re going to do one thing at a time and that’s something that we we are we are adamant about because that’s how you in this day and time that’s how you build a professional sports league as I go through the who what when where why when starting in 2025 so plans already in the works where in the calendar does this fit without sort of you know I’m sure the specific dates are still you know kind of being finalized yeah so we will fit in the in the April to September um window of the outdoor season we will probably skew heavily towards the the beginning of that season um where right now there is you know athletes want to be you know here in the US they don’t want to travel as much there’s a void there in that particular part of the schedule to some degree um and um and we will be heavily focused on the US um um so but we will remain a Glo Global sport you know our athletes come from all around the globe we will have meets in other parts of the world but but two of our races of the four will be in the US um and and we will be really focused heavily on the us not to ignore any other parts of the world where we’ve got global global fan base uh but but the US is a real opportunity for us and that’s a part you know that’s something that you know has been talked about for quite some time now you know setco and World Athletics about you know want to grow the sport we need to grow the sport in the US um and that’s something that we’re we’re we’re focused on to try to help the sport the other where element is and this is a tough one in track and field where to watch it I’m sure again it’s still early with like you know broadcast deals being finalized but you know that’s a challenge right now even with the excitement of this Netflix series like the follow through is the hard part here where you know you watch drive to survive it’s easy to find it on you know ESPN or the golf you know full swing you watch it on the golf channel NBC wherever it might be if we hook track fans they’re going to have a challenge of like how am I going to watch if I’m a Noah ly fan now you know him compete during the regular season if you can figure out what that exactly is defined as so I see an opportunity here for Grand Slam track to fill that void and be that follow through exactly yeah I mean so you’re right that has been a problem in the past a huge problem with uh for fans frustration for fans but also in growing the sport is that it’s very difficult to find and it’s very inconsistent um one of the things that has been very validating for me and that I’m I’m I’m extremely excited about is that we’ve talking we’ve been talking to all of the potential broadcast Partners um globally and certainly here in the US um and the level of excitement around what we’ve built with gron track U the level of interest um has has been uh very high and I’m very pleased with that uh so we’re in a very good position there our position is you know we’re looking for the partner that you know um believes in this and believes that they can really help and bring the the resources uh to partner with us on this to to really grow that fan base in the in in the firstes few years an exciting little element is that you know after you know a couple months of conversation cidus will be a partner in helping with the storytelling side of things how important is that do you view it just sort of like you’ve you know been on our shows you familiarize yourself with how we present sort of the sport and the athletes and showcasing that personality thing but like you know carving out that space for that new era and generation of just sort of like you know the you you put it out I think on Twitter at pre it’s like these content creators nowadays they’re so creative and we need them yeah absolutely I mean the more people you know it’s you know it’s it’s been frustrating for me I’m sure it’s been frustrating for you guys seeing some of the sort of incumbents in the sport and some of the you know sort of powers that be in the sport you know previously being um a bit skeptical about welcoming in new storytellers which just runs completely counter to you know in my experience as a you know as an entrepreneur of if I’ve got people who are willing to go out and sell my product for me and I can create an economy for them as well that’s there’s no better situation when I can provide content to them that allows them to be able to go out and sell my product and then they can actually monetize the content that they’re they’re using there’s just no better situation so absolutely we are we will certainly embrace the uh the influencer the fan that’s got you know I don’t know why I’m giving myself a thumbs up right now give you a thumbs up too yeah thank you Chris I appreciate you um but you know that we will certainly Embrace that you know I mean all forms of media traditional media uh but certainly New Media as well and influencers and fans who want to get out there and you know and talk about this sport not just our events not just Grand Slam track events Diamond League events Olympics World Championships you know our our objective is to come into this Sport and and and draw new fans in and provide a new product but also to uplift the sport itself yeah when you know the concern may be from you know whoever is running the credential side of thing it’s like oh what if every athlete you know ask for a credential for their own media team you know that’s a nightmare it’s like No actually that’s what I’m dreaming of like because if if every athlete could bring in you know their videographer and all that stuff yeah it gets crowded and it might be a lot to juggle but think of just sort of what’s going to come out of it and so yeah no I I’m I’m with you and I’m I’m glad that you’re opening those doors uh knowing I’m cognizant of time here I guess how are you going to measure success in these early years because you know the challenge is going to be this thing like for it to take off right like it’s going to take a couple years and maybe longer than you think but I don’t know how long you’re thinking when I say look I mean you know I’ve been I I mean this is my fifth or sixth uh business venture um and and I’ve had I’ve been very fortunate to have success in the past none of those were successful you know right out the box in terms of being profession profitable or or um or are realizing the actual you know goal uh that the ultimate goal that we we we had for it so this will be no different you know and you have to be set up from the very beginning as we are I get this I understand that this is you know know something that will take time our our Capital Partners understand that as well um our broadcast Partners will certainly understand that because we’ve all done this before in all in our particular roles and we know that you know it what happens here is you have to believe in the product um and then you and you do your research and you do the work um and then you you know and if you believe in that then you continue to invest in it and you know that the payoff will will ultimately come you have to keep your hands on your finger on the pulse of what’s Happening you know and in different metrics to make sure that you’re moving forward no different than when you’re training you know you know and and um and you’ll have some you’ll have some good days and some bad days but but ultimately um you know believing that you’ll get there and and making the smart decisions to get there and so that’s how we’re structured that’s what we’ll do the the goal for us in the first you know year two years three years continue to grow that fan base you know as long as we’re continuing to grow the fan basee and more people are watching watching our events um then we’re on the right track Michael I’m excited for this you know obviously we root for all the new Innovative and disruptive things here at cidus and I I’m excited we’ll continue and pick this up when we’re in Eugene in just a couple days but I appreciate you taking the time and and you know I think you know from this conversation you’ve hooked and Peak some people’s curiosity and and I’m excited for the follow through yeah no we’re we’re excited and um I mean this is all about it’s all about fans and athletes so um so if we if we’ve got some people interested U job done you know job done there