"Others complaining of wanting more money"- Michael Johnson makes his stance clear about track athletes wanting a bigger platform

Michael Johnson expressed his thoughts about track athletes complaining about wanting a bigger platform. The topic about the lack of popularity in track events compared to the NBA as well as the NFL is an ongoing discussion in the track community and several athletes have been very vocal about it.

Athletes have often pitched in with their own ideas about how the field of track can be transformed and gradually rise as one of the most popular sports in the world. The legendary athlete Michael Johnson took the situation under consideration and revealed that according to him, track as a sport needs to be more fan-focused alongside the great performances which will eventually propel the sport to wider audience.

In an attempt to help popularize the sport, he launched 'Grand Slam Track', an event aimed to be more fan focused, in an effort to help in elevating the popularity of the sport. To make the event reach a wider audience, Johnson made sure to keep it easily accessible and bring together an amazing group of athletes to compete by offering a large paycheck to the first eight finishers.

He took to X to address the situation about athletes complaining about wanting a bigger platform and as well as the prize money in track events.

"I see track athletes complaining wanting a bigger platform. Others complaining of wanting more money. @GrandSlamTrack will be broadcast on @peacock @TheCW & @NBCSports with prize money of 1st=$100K & 8th=$10K. Who’s not complaining? Our 48 Grand Slam Track Racers!" he wrote.

Michael Johnson on successfully launching Grand Slam Track

Michael Johnson at the 1992 Olympics - Men's 4 x 400 relay - Source: Getty

Michael Johnson expressed his thoughts after successfully launching Grand Slam Track in a press release. The American athlete revealed how his team has been working tirelessly over the course of multiple months to bring the new track league into shape.

The legendary athlete hoped to bring about a great experience for the fans and a transformation in the track space. Some of the top athletes participating in Grand Slam Track include Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Fred Kerley, Kenny Bednarek and Masai Russell among others.

"We are excited to launch this new platform for the planet’s greatest racers in this sport we all love. Our team has worked tirelessly to design and build a product that will be loved by fans and provide opportunities for our racers that they truly deserve. We’re revolutionizing the track landscape, allowing our sport to remain at the forefront of the sporting world year-round," stated the press release.

The inaugural edition of Grand Slam Track will be held in Kingston, Jamaica in April 2025.