Grand Slam Track receives emergency funding to pay half of what athletes are owed

As the end-of-September payment deadline approached, Grand Slam Track (GST) still owed athletes and vendors from its three Slam meets a reported US$19 million. On Friday, Front Office Sports reported that the startup has secured an emergency cash infusion to cover half of that shortfall.

According to the report, a group of existing investors has provided up to eight figures in financing. The funding won’t cover the entire debt (about $11 million owed to athletes and $8 million to vendors), but GST says it has wired athletes half of the outstanding payments on Oct. 3 and now plans to address some of its vendor obligations.

The rescue effort was led by Winners Alliance, an American sports business firm that sought five to $10 million in emergency funding from investors and fronted the cash to keep GST employees paid. GST says roughly $5.5 million of the new funding will go directly to athletes, covering prize money and appearance fees from the three events held earlier this year. Each athlete will receive half of what they are owed.

Last month, The Times reported that several athletes had considered legal action, while Front Office Sports revealed that GST and founder Michael Johnson have employed British law firm Level.

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Canadian sprinter and four-time Olympian Aaron Brown told Canadian Running he still supports the league’s vision despite its financial troubles.

“I have always remained a supporter of GST, because we desperately need professional leagues like this in the sport to succeed,” said Brown, who competed at the Philadelphia Slam meet in the short sprints. “I would 100 per cent be open to another season, assuming all money outstanding is paid off. I know the vast majority of athletes would be, too.”

Brown confirmed his agent received notice of a wire transfer from GST, following a league-wide email apologizing for the hardships caused by payment delays.

In that email, Johnson wrote that over the next 60 days, GST would “be working hard to make things right with everyone who helped make 2025 a success, to best position GST for 2026 and beyond.”

In 2024, GST launched with big ambitions, announcing more than $30 million in funding led by Winners Alliance. The league promised record athlete compensation (including $100,000 for first-place finishes) on top of base salaries and appearance fees. It also sought to professionalize track by paying for first-class airfare, providing solo hotel rooms and scrapping paper bibs.

Three of its four planned events took place in Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia. But the final Slam in Los Angeles was suddenly cancelled two weeks before the event, after a key investor backed out.

For now, GST has offered no dates or confirmation of a second season, though Johnson continues to be hopeful for a 2026 return.