Grand Slam Track are confident that the series will continue despite cancelling the final round of its inaugural season.
The new-look competition made a rocky debut as it looked to modernise professional athletics.
The Michael Johnson-fronted track series lured in top talent with impressive 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 fourth and final round of the season, due to be held in Los Angeles, was abruptly cancelled on Thursday night after venue costs marked the event as a financial misadventure, with losses in excess of $2million (£1.47m) expected. It marked a disappointing end to a fraught debut campaign.
Johnson, a four-time Team USA Olympic gold medallist, has explained the decision in a new statement, saying the Los Angeles meet was slashed with an eye to protecting Grand Slam Track’s long-term health.
He also claimed the competition had ‘successfully achieved’ its first-season goals despite a premature ending.
The athletics great said: “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, and the importance of looking towards 2026 and beyond.
“We launched with a bold vision to reimagine professional track racing and we could not be more excited about what we have accomplished so far, delivering amazing races to a rabid fan base. 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 as the world’s premier track league. Our attention is now on 2026, with our eyes set on continuing to deliver the best-in-class storytelling, content, and competition that we have become known for in our debut year.”
New sponsors are expected to be announced in the coming weeks ahead 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 to gold medal winners in a controversial move that bucked 128 years of Olympic tradition.
With a whopping $12.6m (£9.3m) 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.
Additional reporting: Reuters
