4 reasons Noah Lyles cited for Grand Slam Track absence ft. Lack of sponsors, unsustainable model

Noah Lyles is arguably the biggest star missing from the inaugural event of the Grand Slam Track. The reigning Olympic champion didn't sign as a Racer and hasn't joined as a Challenger as well.

Lyles was uncertain about the league right from the moment it was launched. He cited several reasons for his absence over the course of the year, and while some of those have been addressed, some are yet to be.

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4 reasons Noah Lyles cited for his snub of Grand Slam Track

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

4) Underbidded him

Speaking during an appearance on his Beyond The Records podcast in 2025, Lyles reveals that former sprinter and league's founder underbid him. While he didn't reveal the amount he was offered, there's no information about the amount other athletes are being paid.

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

He, however, has appreciated GST offering the highest ever prize money in history - $100k for an event winner.

3) Lack of sponsors and promotions

Lyles also pointed out the lack of big sponsors for the league, particularly a watch sponsor and a betting sponsor.

"I want to hear, is there a watch deal? I want to hear, you know, if there's a betting company which is getting involved? Where are these other things that being in the US provides you with?" Lyles said.

“Because I believe that America is the best marketing factory. So I want to see those companies getting involved, and I haven’t heard anything. Like I said, I haven’t seen a commercial, I haven’t seen promos," he added.

2) Unsustainable model

Lyles also claimed that Grand Slam Track’s model at the moment was unsustainable and the league would fail to make money. He reasoned that the league would run out of its $30m investment in a few years and might have to shut down its operations.

“I look at it as a business. At the end of the day, if there’s no ROI [return on investment], then you have a failed business model," he said. "And it’s like, how long could you be sustainable.”

“They’re not going to make any money this year, they’re not going to make any money next year, Noah Lyles added.

1) Wrong pairing of events

GST requires athletes to compete in at least two events such as 100m-200m to win the short sprint title. However, 100m hurdlers will also need to compete in 100m dash, leaving Lyles wondering who would be called the 100m champion.

"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?," Noah Lyles questioned.

It's however worth noting that Lyles has said he would love to be proven wrong, opening the door for him to potentially compete in the Grand Slam Track.