On Friday, Grand Slam Monitor and founder Michael Johnson launched a press release on Instagram addressing the league’s incapability to pay their athletes. However regardless of stretching to 3 slides, the assertion is basically only a rambling phrase salad–and utterly avoids its most vital ingredient: an apology.
It’s been greater than two months for the reason that final Slam in Philadelphia. Athletes and amenities nonetheless haven’t been paid the US$13 million they’re at present owed, and Johnson says the league has no funds to take action. If they’re unable to safe capital, the assertion reveals, GST won’t proceed with a 2026 season.
“The cruelest paradox in all of that is we promised that athletes can be pretty and rapidly compensated,” the assertion learn. “But, right here we’re combating our means to compensate them.”
Final month, Johnson pinned the league’s “main, main money movement subject” on a key investor pulling out of a tens-of-millions-of-dollars deal simply days after the league’s opening Slam in Jamaica in April. He claimed GST had labored “tirelessly” with its board and buyers to discover a fast resolution and was “getting optimistic indicators” that the difficulty might be solved even after the LA Slam was cancelled–till, he says, “circumstances modified in methods past [their] management.”
Followers had been additionally not impressed concerning the lack of acknowledgment from GST round monetary issues throughout the season. Johnson had promised belated funds–July 31 for Kingston and Miami look charges, September for Philadelphia and LA charges–however these July timelines weren’t met, and it’s wanting like September’s received’t be, both.
Grand Slam Monitor factors fingers over mounting monetary troubles
“With all due respect, proclaiming that the 2026 season won’t start till your obligations have been met isn’t precisely a daring proclamation,” one Instagram person wrote. “In the event you don’t meet your obligations, nobody goes to enroll in the season anyway.”
It’s a good level. Why would athletes or venues make investments their money and time in a enterprise that may by no means pay them again? You’ll be able to’t promote a product constructed on damaged guarantees. And pouring thousands and thousands into salvaging a league’s identify, legacy and debt doesn’t routinely create success.
Undelivered prize cash
For athletes, the delayed payouts are greater than “frustration, disappointment and inconvenience,” as Johnson described. Many paid for their very own flights, journey, lodging and meals, lured by unprecedented prize cash: $100,000 for Slam winners and even $10,000 for final place. A few of these athletes don’t have any sponsorships to cowl these prices.
Prize cash marketed per Slam:
1st – $100,000.00
2nd – $50,000.00
third – $30,000.00
4th – $25,000.00
fifth – $20,000.00
sixth – $15,000.00
seventh – $12,500.00
eighth – $10,000.00
In June, Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, the 2022 world champion within the 400m hurdles, owed $250,000, was shocked to listen to the league was in hassle–however had nonetheless been anticipating to be paid. Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas expressed her frustration publicly in early July, commenting GST’s TikTok: “So dope!! Please pay me.” Grant Fisher, the world report holder within the indoor 3,000m and 5,000m, additionally voiced his issues: “In the event that they aren’t in a position to pay out the money owed that they’ve for this previous 12 months, I don’t assume it’ll exist for subsequent 12 months.”
Some followers are even providing to step as much as assist the athletes. “Possibly create a GoFundMe the place followers can donate?” one person wrote on Instagram.
Regardless of a stunning variety of supporters, repeated damaged guarantees and broken relationships make it unlikely that Johnson’s revolutionary observe league will survive past its inaugural season.
