Michael Johnson issues letter saying they don’t have the money, no GST2026 unless athletes paid

Aouita 84 wrote:

Wow!

MJ is completely tone deaf!

"That is success to me", what does that mean? Success is achieved when you set out to reach a goal, execute a plan through hard work and discipline, and ultimately arrive at that goal. Goal achieved! Success achieved! Success is NOT achieved when you set out to reach a goal, execute a plan through hard work and discipline and DON'T arrive at that goal. For example; You're training for the Olympic trials, you've put months and months of hard work in, you've run hundreds of miles in training, countless hours in the gym, and have sacrificed time with family and friends, all for a chance to earn a spot on Team USA. You get to the meet, start your warm up and get ready for the big race. When you go to check in for the race, your told that the race was an hour ago...You missed it! You had the wrong start time. No Team USA! Do you say "Oh well, I'm pretty bummed out, I kinda screwed up, but I think I was successful". That is not success, that is FAILURE! You never toed the line, you never ran the race, due to your lack of knowing when the race was starting. How can MJ claim "success" in any way, shape or form? Yeah, all the athletes had fun flying first class and staying in nice hotels and were treated like royalty, but that's NOT success. When the athletes toe the line, run the race, do all the necessary PR stuff they were required to do and then GET PAID for their earned effort, success has been ACHIEVED!

This dude keeps digging himself into a massive hole that he'll never get out of. Someone needs to tell him, "Dude! you screwed up! The dream is over, you'll never regain the trust and faith of any vendor, athlete, or coach". The ONLY way MJ can pull off another GST season will be to pay all the vendors up front, and pay the athlete's a substantial appearance fee up front. This way, the vendors are good and the athletes come away with some guaranteed cash in the event the prize money is held up. Better to have something, rather than nothing. Outside of money in the bank, ain't no athletes gonna compete.

McRunnin wrote:

Aouita 84 wrote:

Wow!

MJ is completely tone deaf!

"That is success to me", what does that mean? Success is achieved when you set out to reach a goal, execute a plan through hard work and discipline, and ultimately arrive at that goal. Goal achieved! Success achieved! Success is NOT achieved when you set out to reach a goal, execute a plan through hard work and discipline and DON'T arrive at that goal. For example; You're training for the Olympic trials, you've put months and months of hard work in, you've run hundreds of miles in training, countless hours in the gym, and have sacrificed time with family and friends, all for a chance to earn a spot on Team USA. You get to the meet, start your warm up and get ready for the big race. When you go to check in for the race, your told that the race was an hour ago...You missed it! You had the wrong start time. No Team USA! Do you say "Oh well, I'm pretty bummed out, I kinda screwed up, but I think I was successful". That is not success, that is FAILURE! You never toed the line, you never ran the race, due to your lack of knowing when the race was starting. How can MJ claim "success" in any way, shape or form? Yeah, all the athletes had fun flying first class and staying in nice hotels and were treated like royalty, but that's NOT success. When the athletes toe the line, run the race, do all the necessary PR stuff they were required to do and then GET PAID for their earned effort, success has been ACHIEVED!

This dude keeps digging himself into a massive hole that he'll never get out of. Someone needs to tell him, "Dude! you screwed up! The dream is over, you'll never regain the trust and faith of any vendor, athlete, or coach". The ONLY way MJ can pull off another GST season will be to pay all the vendors up front, and pay the athlete's a substantial appearance fee up front. This way, the vendors are good and the athletes come away with some guaranteed cash in the event the prize money is held up. Better to have something, rather than nothing. Outside of money in the bank, ain't no athletes gonna compete.

Your take on the league not being successful is valid. It's wrong for him to claim the league is a success when they couldn't complete the season as advertised and they haven't been able to meet their financial commitments. I think when he says, "That is success to me," he's trying to point out the positives of a league that he's still selling to investors. But even though the league gave us some exciting moments, it certainly hasn't been a success overall.

Re: MJ being completely tone deaf, I'm curious if you read beyond the first page of his letter. He went on to acknowledge:

• "And yes, the cruelest paradox in all of this is we promised that athletes would be fairly and quickly compensated. Yet, here we are struggling with our ability to compensate them."
  
• "Understandably, this has led to frustration, disappointment, and inconvenience to our athletes, agents, and vendors. I know this damages trust."
• “While I am no stranger to setbacks and overcoming obstacles, this current situation of not being able to pay our athletes and partners has been one of the most difficult challenges I’ve ever experienced."

I think he stuck an appropriate tone with those statements. He acknowledged the reality of the situation, then he gave an update on what he's been doing the last few weeks to try to raise funds.

My biggest question is: who are these "excited investors" he's been meeting with?

Wall Street wrote:

Newname wrote:

Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Foundation, through its involvement with Winners Alliance, was part of a $30 million commitment to Grand Slam Track, a new track and field league founded by Michael Johnson. This pledge was announced in 2024, with Winners Alliance, chaired by Ackman, described as the lead investor and operating partner. The funding was intended to support the league’s launch in 2025, which aimed to offer athletes a base salary and significant prize money, with events planned across the U.S. and internationally.

Grok gives lots of excuses for Ackman but, if asked if the only possible scenario for the lack of funds was Ackman not giving the money, it says yes

If Bill Ackerman and his Pershing Square Alliance together with Winners Alliance are the ones who welshed… then he/they should be Grand Slammed publicly so as to feel uncomfortable in comfy East Coast gala events and the circles that Billionaires roll. If it was him, he would carry an added level of risk of involvement which translates to “risk-cost” in further ventures.