Amid Grand Slam Track cancellation, Michael Johnson reveals why league featuring Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is perfect for this generation

Olympic & Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 and Beyond - Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024 - Source: Getty
Michael Johnson at the Olympic & Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 and Beyond - Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024 - Source: Getty

Michael Johnson spoke about why Grand Slam Track is a league tailored in a perfect manner to cater to today's audience. The fourth edition of Grand Slam Track that was scueduled to be held in Los Angeles from June 27 to June 29, 2025 was recently cancelled due to economic concerns as mentioned in their offical press conference and Michael Johnson shared that the decision was made to ensure the long term stability of the track league.

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Some fans expressed their dissappointment due to the cancellation of the league however, many of the participating athlete backed the league's decision and shared how they had an incredible experience competing against some of the best athletes in the world. Weeks after the cancellation of the event, Michael Johnson made an appearance at at Cannes Lions and opened up about why the league is perfect for today's audience.

While describing important attributes of the league, Michael shared that the quickness of all the races matches with the reduced attention span in the social media era and he believes that it is 'perfect' for the curreny audience. Moreover, he spoke about the league's massive social media engagement and shared how that stands as an example of how it is catering to the right audience.

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"I think you know, this sport is perfect for today's audience. So with Grand Slam Track as an example two thirds of our races take place in under one minute. So, It's quick, it's fast and the content is just amazing from a story tellling stand point because we can tell the story in a couple of minutes. We can give you the portagonist, the heros and the villains, we can set it up, we can actually run the race and celebrate on the other side in three minutes," he said.
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Moreover, Johnson shared that as the league features a diverse range of athletes, it connects to a wider audience and helps to promote the sport even further.


Michael Johnson on the cancellation of the last edition of Grand Slam Track

Michael Johnson at the Olympic & Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 and Beyond - Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024 - Source: Getty
Michael Johnson at the Olympic & Paralympic Games, Paris 2024 and Beyond - Laureus World Sports Awards Madrid 2024 - Source: Getty

Michael Johnson released an official statement regarding the cancellation of the fourth edition of Grand Slam Track in Los Angeles. The legendary athlete shared that the decision stemmed due to a shift in the global economic landscape and their goal of having a long term stability.

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"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," he said.

He was optimistic about the next season of the league and expressed his belief in the league's vision.

"Our attention is now on 2026. 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," he added.

Michael Johnson hoped to work on their shortcomings and improve it as aimed to make the next edition of the league successful.

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Edited by Adityan Pillai
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