Update: Grand Slam Track LA Cancelled

^^ This is exactly right. The energy of a meeting like Zurich, London, Brussels; sold-out, packed stadiums, with knowledgeable crowds chanting, clapping, getting involved, non-stop action....GST was not a patch. Even 'specialist' meets like Gotzis, or the German throwing meets, are better.

If MJ wanted to make his mark on US audiences, he could have attempted to better the LA Grand Prix, or the New York meet. Meetings already in the calendar that he could have influenced. Get the big stars to turn up to those, help promote them, maybe look at ways he could be innovative there. But no, he wanted a vanity project, he wanted to diss the Diamond League, he wanted to leave behind field events...and he wanted to pay too much money without the right sponsorship in place.

I don't take any glee in this. There was a few good races in 800m/1500m. But even Ray Charles could see this one coming. I don't think MJ thought this out very carefully.

Times article has been updated:

MJ will announce LA GST has been cancelled.

The Times says this is due to:

- failure to secure sufficient sponsorship and broadcasting revenues

- poor ticket sales

- cancellation will save $3m in prize money and travel expenses.

you obviously didnt see Heat 1 of the Mens 1500 at NCAAs last night and the carnage a slow CHAMPIONSHIP race incurs

Obviously this isn't good news.

The Philly meet was the best one yet in terms of attendance, so the hope the year would end on an upswing in LA. Jon at meet #1 was given the indication that the series would end with a bang in LA.

The only hope is this saves them enough money for them to try and regroup into year #2. But if you're doing that aren't you worried that cancelling one of your 4 meets is a bad look?

The other alternative is this is the end of GST and the investors will get a little more money back than a complete wipeout.

Overall it's not clear if Grand Slam Track was a net positive or negative for Track, and that's why many of us were skeptical. At least one negative is it looks like GST killed the American Track League, a league with a sustainable business model that had been building since at least 2021 and held its last meet in 2024. So if GST folds it will be a net loss for track in the US, no GST, no ATL.

Seems reasonable to assume that athletes will be cautious about committing next year, knowing that they may have to deal with format changes, prize money withdrawal, even full event cancellation. Wouldn't you just plan your season around the Diamond League instead?

I think you’re in denial, Wejo. GST is over, whether they announce it today or not.

reading between the lines, they haven't sold enough sponsorships to gather the revenue for the final prizes and/or the tv time.

you know your league has made it when they pay you a rights fee rather than you rent an hour or two.

Lol. Of course I have a girlfriend, you just wouldn't know her because she goes to another school

I think it's clear GST was negative for 'track'. Now, we will see multiple articles talking about this, and the 'death of track', whilst in fact, globally, Athletics was & is doing very well. But he has almost put a nail in the coffin of US track by this doomed meet, because it was just get extremely negative attention.

If you're looking forward to next year, you hold the LA meet while cutting costs as much as possible and regroup in the offseason. Cancelling entirely means they're not worried about relationships for next year.

This is a bummer, but I'd like to know more about what's happening behind the scenes. I assume Grand Slam expected to lose money in year one — how bad were the financials/fan engagement details that investors don't see any hope going forward and figure they're better off cutting their losses?

GST failing? Told y'all so.

The saddest part about this is we are now robbed of the supposed head-to-head we were going to see in LA, of McLaughlin vs Paulino vs Naser over 400m. I doubt we will see such a match up before Tokyo, and we may not see it in Tokyo if SML just runs the hurdles.

Will Kyle Merber come on to comment?

it was too elaborate and too big too soon. days of meets where presumably they have to rent the space and pay for hours of tv time.

to me he needed to slowly build up, like maybe take over 1 or 2 of the US grand prix. make it sparkle as a 1 day thing. NBC already has the rights, just make them nicer meets. make some money off that, then build it up slowly.

3 days is excessive, for the viewer to watch, and also if they are renting tv time to show it all. and you have to build your costs up slowly.

Nope, it's done. And I'm definitely in the camp that gives MJ a massive amount of credit for giving it a shot. We all complain about the lack of attention the sport receives, and someone steps up and at least attempts to improve the exposure it deserves as well as the opportunity to make of a living for the athletes, and he'll still get criticism for it. Which to me is insane. But regardless, it's done.

The Philly meet was a great experience as a spectator. Was hoping to go back again next year.