Overview

• Days before its June 28 finale at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, Grand Slam Track canceled the Los Angeles meet, citing a shift in the global economic landscape.
• Founder Michael Johnson said the league met its pilot season goals and vowed to return in 2026 after lining up new investment.
• Olympic champion Noah Lyles called the league’s $30 million budget a 'short runway, not a foundation' and decried the absence of major corporate sponsors.
• Lyles warned that the sport’s fragmented organization and lack of long-term infrastructure leave athletes facing inconsistent competition and unstable career prospects.
• While its inaugural meets in Kingston, Miramar and Philadelphia offered nearly $9.5 million in prize money and featured stars like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, compressed schedules and dwindling momentum highlighted deeper sustainability issues.