Noah Lyles reveals real reason behind why he stayed away from joining Michael Johnson's Grand Slam Track

Noah Lyles highlighted major issues with the Grand Slam Track's scheduling of events while also claiming the league underbid him before the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 100-meter Olympic champion hasn't signed with the league, which debuts in April.

Lyles highlighted the concerns around pairing up the events, requiring an athlete to compete in a minimum of two events. The men's 110m hurdlers also have to run the 100m flat, and whoever secures the most points in the two races will become the short hurdles champion.

Meanwhile, the men's 200m runners also compete in the 100m, leaving Lyles questioning who'll be the champion in 100m-short hurdlers or short sprinters?

"The scheduling is very odd, in my opinion, especially from a marketing standpoint. If I go on Jimmy Fallon [show], I say I'm the 100m, 200m Grand Slam champion, the crowd is gonna be like 'oh nice nice,' and then Grant Halloway comes on the next day, and he's like I'm the 100-110hurdles Grand Slam champion. Wait, Noah just said he's the 100m Grand Slam champion, and you are also the 100m Grand Slam champion; how does that work?," he said on Beyond The Records Podcast [40:50 onwards]

"So, from a marketing standpoint, how are you gonna market things that two people own? There has to be a winner and obviously, the times are gonna be completely different. It's just that we're doing track and field with extra steps. We don't need to reinvent track and field in my opinion, we just need to market it better," Noah Lyles added

Lyles also highlighted the lack of TV and betting partners for the league, which, however, was solved last month. He further revealed that Michael Johnson underbid him before the 2024 Paris Olympics when the league was newly announced.

"They underbid me. This is before the Olympics," he noted.

The first slam of the Grand Slam Track is scheduled to take place from April 4-6 in Kingston, Jamaica. The league has signed all 48 'Racers,' who are required to compete in all four of the slams through the year. However, Lyles can still compete as a challenger.

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"I'd love to be proven wrong" - Noah Lyles on Grand Slam Track

Noah Lyles at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Speaking during the Beyond The Records Podcast, Lyles made it clear that he would love to be proven wrong about his issues with Grand Slam Track. The world champion highlighted that the league could make athletes less reliable at the World Championships and the Olympic Games, giving them a way to consistently earn money throughout the year.

"I'd love to be proven wrong 100%..And then I become a Challenger," he said.

"If everything lines up, I'd love nothing but for this to be successful because if it does, the amount of benefits that it could provide, this could be a way for athletes to not only have to rely on the World Championships cause you could potentially be making more money consistently throughout the year. This would be able to provide a home for sponsors in the US to come to and a consistent place for people to watch track and field," Noah Lyles added.

For all of the issues Lyles highlighted with the league, including the lack of sponsors and TV deals, it offers the highest-ever prize money in track and field history, with each Slam winner taking home a massive $100,000.