He walked away from the 2024 season with disappointment in his voice and questions in the air. Grand Slam Track, the sport’s boldest reinvention in decades, had fallen silent just before its grand finale. The dream that had captivated fans and redefined the sport’s storytelling had screeched to a halt. But now, just months later, Michael Johnson isn’t just talking about redemption. He’s building a revolution.

In his first public statement since the pilot season’s untimely end, Johnson dropped a bombshell. Grand Slam Track had joined forces with Sundial Media & Technology Group in a landmark partnership that could reshape not just the sport, but its entire ecosystem. “We’re not just building a league—we’re building a movement,” Johnson said. It was the first sign of real hope since the regret of a lost finale had cast a shadow over GST’s blazing start. This time, Johnson isn’t speaking with regret. He’s speaking with resolve.

The deal fuses GST’s fresh take on track competition with Sundial’s cultural firepower, home to iconic brands like ESSENCE and Refinery29. The 2026 season will now be backed by a media and technology engine that doesn’t just cover culture. It creates it. Athletes won’t just race for glory. They’ll be owners in their own stories, with 10% of sponsorship revenue routed directly to them. And fans? They’re no longer bystanders. They’re part of the show, the strategy, and the story.

From in-person activations to behind-the-scenes content, GST is building more than meets the eye. SMTG’s digital ecosystem will deliver unprecedented access, turning every heat into a headline. This is the new playbook. Live events that pulse with culture, storytelling that centers the athlete, and global reach that doesn’t just follow the sport but fuels it.

Behind it all is the man who once redefined sprinting. And is now redefining what a track league can be. With Richelieu Dennis backing the vision and SMTG bringing the firepower, Johnson’s Grand Slam Track has found the launchpad it never had. The dream may have stumbled once, but now, it’s sprinting toward something much bigger. 

Grand Slam Track’s Inaugural Season Ends Abruptly With LA Finale Axed

Just weeks before the Grand Slam Track season was set to close with a splash in Los Angeles, the finale has been abruptly cancelled. A jarring halt for a league that launched with bold ambition and Olympic pedigree. The announcement, made by GST founder Michael Johnson, landed Thursday, catching the track and field world off stride and raising questions about the league’s future after a turbulent debut.

Johnson cited a dramatically shifted global economic landscape as the reason for scrapping the LA leg, originally scheduled for June 27-29 at UCLA’s Drake Stadium. “This business decision has been made to ensure our long-term stability as the world’s premier track league,” he said, confirming that the focus will now shift entirely to preparations for 2026. While the first three meets in Kingston, Miami, and Philadelphia did take place, they were not without their growing pains, from poor ticket sales to programing changes and controversy.

Despite those hurdles, Johnson remains defiant and optimistic. “We launched with a bold vision to reimagine professional track racing,” he stated, calling the decision “one rooted in a belief that we have successfully achieved the objectives we set out to in this pilot season.” Behind the scenes, new investors are reportedly circling as GST regroups. Still, with no final meet and no finish-line crescendo, the league’s rookie year ends not with a flourish, but with an asterisk. And a long runway ahead before GST can prove that it has true staying power.