Grand Slam Track’s first season is coming to an expected stop.
Writing for Front Office Sports, Daniel Kaplan revealed that the professional track circuit founded by four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson is canceling its final race in Los Angeles, which was scheduled for June 28-29 at UCLA. According to Kaplan, GST has an all-hands meeting scheduled for Thursday, where it is expected that the status of the meet and the future of the company will be discussed.
As for the reasoning behind the race’s cancellation and the sudden uncertainty surrounding the circuit, that remains unclear. Kaplan’s sources cited “a new strategic partner/investor,” the current Los Angeles anti-ICE protests and a poor lease agreement with UCLA as potential reasons for the shift.
Kaplan also noted that Grand Slam Track has raised more than $39 million according to Pitchbook, including $30 million via Winners Alliance. The promotion also possesses a media rights deal with The CW and Peacock.
Yet despite the impressive funding and distribution, there have already been signs of potential struggles. Speaking to Front Office Sports last month, Johnson admitted to being disappointed with the Kingston, Jamaica event’s attendance and addressed the circuit’s financial standing.
“Like any startup, breaking even at year one is typically not the goal, and it certainly isn’t for this. I mean, that’s pretty unrealistic,” he said. “We feel good about where we are, we feel like we’re on track with where we need to be. It’s always tough at the beginning; we’re under no illusions that this is going to be easy.”
“Our television viewing numbers are good. They’ve exceeded our expectations and those of our partners as well. Our television viewership grew from Kingston to Miami, and we’re hoping that it’ll continue to grow. In terms of ticket sales, it’s trending in the right direction.
“After this season is over, we’ll look at things that we might change or things that we need to adjust in order to try to get to profitability. What are things that have been positive surprises for us that we’ll double down on? And things that we learn and go, ‘Eh, that didn’t work quite as well as we thought it would,’ we will pivot.”
At this point, it’s fair to wonder how the recent developments will affect Grand Slam Track’s ability to implement such changes.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.