“We have announced the conclusion of our transformational 2025 pilot season, and now turn our attention to building out the 2026 calendar to bring GST to fans around the world. The previously scheduled LA Slam has been postponed until 2026,” – Grand Slam Track on X.

The race that began in Kingston could not reach the finishing line in Los Angeles. Grand Slam Track made a grand debut in the Jamaican city, but the grand conclusion that the city of angels was to witness is not going to happen. The Los Angeles Grand Slam Track event, scheduled for June 28–29 at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, has been officially canceled on June 12, 2025. This concludes the 2025 season of the league.

League director and legendary sprinter, Michael Johnson, appeared in a video posted by the league’s X handle. He shared, “Hey everyone, wanted to personally share with you that today we are announcing the conclusion of our inaugural Grand Slam track season. That means we won’t see you in LA, unfortunately, and this was not a decision that we came to lightly, but it is the right decision for the long-term sustainability of the league.” On the league’s official website, Johnson cited economic reasons for the cancellation.

He also mentioned, “We feel that we’ve proven everything that we needed to this year in the first three slams, and so we will go ahead now and conclude our season and focus on  the 2026 season.”

Getting nostalgic, the 57-year-old talked of how the league had 48 racers, many who joined from the beginning, facing challenges, and dozens of challengers who joined midway to bring out thrilling races. GST introduced racers (core contracted athletes) and challengers (event-based competitors) to make the league more competitive. One of the most thrilling match-ups was when Challenger Emmanuel Wanyonyi edged out elite Racers—beating Olympic medalists Josh Kerr, Cole Hocker, and Marco Arop in 1500 m at the Kingston Slam to claim the men’s Short‑Distance crown.

Michael Johnson shared, “We also connected with the next generation of track athletes with our future champs races, which was thrilling with the young kids this year, but most importantly, we connected with new fans and brought new fans into the league and into the sport, which was important.”

Well, fans showed up in numbers in Philly slam, while talents like Jacory Patterson and Christian Miller also made a name at GST. The league director said that the team is happy with what they have accomplished this year and emphasized the need to focus their energy on building on this.

The sprinting legend further reasoned, “You have to remember we are a startup league. We have to make difficult choices. This is one of those difficult choices we’ve proven and been transparent throughout the season that we will make the difficult choices when we have to.” Perhaps suspending Fred Kerley from the Philadelphia was also one of their hard decisions.

Johnson further pointed out that their decision might not be popular, but they believe in their athletes and in the sport itself to be the best in the world. “We’ve proven that this year that this sport can be right up there with others, and that has attracted the attention of new investors and new sponsors, which is thrilling for us and exactly what we needed to accomplish this year.”

Grand Slam Track launched with over $30 million in funding, led by athlete-focused Winners Alliance (backed by hedge-fund billionaire Bill Ackman) alongside direct investment from Michael Johnson. On the commercial side, it secured U.S. broadcast deals with Peacock and The CW, while Warner Bros. Discovery covers Europe and Asia, complemented by 21 other regional broadcasters across 189 countries. Sponsorships include Drip Water (official canned-water supplier) and Stats Perform (exclusive provider of global data, betting rights, and integrity services).

Johnson promised to update in the coming weeks and also said that the team will keep making content. But he has also informed that they will not be hosting any other slam for the remainder of the season.

For the future, the former track and field athlete said, “We are committed to coming back to LA for next year and other  cities have thrown their hat in the ring and we will be making decisions in our off-season as to where we take Grand Slam Track next year, but we are committed to continuing to elevate the sport, elevate the storytelling around the sport just as you’ve seen this year, and continue to elevate these amazing athletes.” Grand Slam Track helped Jacory Patterson earn $50,000 by winning the Miami 400 m in 43.98 s, enabling him to quit his overnight UPS job and fully focus on training.

Michael Johnson went on to congratulate Kenny Bednarek and Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden. “Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, unbelievable season this year throughout all three of these Grand Slam races, and Kenny Bednarik, Kung Fu Kenny as well, another unbelievable season. So congratulations to those two very deserving racers of the year with the performances that they put in across the three slams, and thrilled our audiences as well.”

Both of them were crowned as inaugural Racers of the Year. Kenny Bednarek remained undefeated through six Grand Slam Track races, closing in Philadelphia with 2025’s 2nd fastest time of 9.86s in the 100 m win. Melissa Jefferson‑Wooden also swept the Short Sprints in Philly, clocking a world-leading 10.73s in 100 m (following a 21.99s PB in the 200 m) and maintaining her three-meet winning streak.

The question now is, what’s next?

Next for Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track

For now, the league is solely focused on using its resources for the 2026 season.

In his statement, Johnson pointed out, “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. Our attention is now on 2026, with our eyes set on continuing to deliver the best-in-class storytelling, content, and competition that we have become known for in our debut year.”

The league has also not given up on LA. Johnson did say that they will try to take the league to Los Angeles in the 2026 season. But what about those who had already bought the ticket for the 2025 season?

In a tweet by Grand Slam Track, it was announced, “For those of you who had already purchased tickets for the LA Slam, thank you! You will be issued an automatic refund. We hope you’ll join us next season ❤️.” They posted an image, a part of which read, “Refunds will process automatically, and be received within 10-14 business days. Fans with questions on this process should contact the UCLA Box Office directly at jjohnson@tickets.ucla.edu.” So, if you have already bought the ticket for LA, no worries! Get your refunds, and maybe, clear your schedule for the next season.

Now, if you have any thoughts on the cancellation of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track, let us know in the comments section…