Director of Athletes and Racing at Grand Slam reveals all concerning the new league
As Michael Johnson’s new monitor league approaches, pleasure is constructing for the primary Slam, which can kick off in Kingston, Jamaica, from April 4-6. To get a greater understanding of what this league has to supply, we reached out to AW readers to assemble their burning questions concerning the occasion that guarantees to revolutionize the game of monitor and discipline.
What we already know is that athletes at Grand Slam Observe are categorized as both Racers and Challengers and are assigned to compete in one of many following classes: brief sprints (100m/200m), brief hurdles (100m hurdles or 110m hurdles/100m), lengthy sprints (200m/400m), lengthy hurdles (400H/400m), center distance (800m/1500m), or lengthy distance (3000m/5000m).
Every Slam occasion will showcase consist of 4 Racers who’re contracted to the league’s 4 Slams: Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. They may go up in opposition to totally different Challengers throughout every Slam, who’re compensated with an look payment, and can compete for full prize cash.
The winner of every Slam group will take residence $100,000 in prize cash and the eighth place competitor will earn $10,000.
A complete of 96 athletes will compete within the league, with 48 Grand Slam Observe Racers, who collectively earned 34 Olympic medals on the Paris 2024 Video games, dealing with off in opposition to 48 challengers.
To dive deeper into what followers can count on, we sat down with Kyle Merber, a former middle-distance runner and the Director of Racing and Athletes for Grand Slam Observe and requested him a variety of questions requested by our AW followers throughout social media platforms.
Michael Johnson (Grand Slam Observe)
How have been the occasions chosen?
Lots of issues went into it previous to them being finalized. However I believe in the end the format clearly values being the quickest, proper? That’s an important factor but additionally having a variety and with the ability to carry out constantly throughout a number of occasions. I believe the mixture of getting two race distances supplies a bit bit extra jeopardy for the racers.
I believe the mixture of getting two occasions creates intriguing match-ups, issues that possibly followers haven’t essentially seen earlier than and in the end sparks extra debate and dialog amongst the followers.
Can a Challenger compete in a number of slams?
There is no such thing as a official rule saying {that a} challenger can’t compete in multiple Slam. I believe for those who maintain successful, then you definitely’re welcome to maintain coming again and will definitely be invited.
I believe from my philosophy standpoint is that we do need to see a story of Challengers throughout the complete season. A extremely robust level within the format is having that chance to herald those that are racing properly, and the up and coming or the brand new rivalries and simply seeing one thing totally different every day trip. We’ll see lots of contemporary faces however there’s actually some Challengers I already know which are going to be constantly there.
What did you search for when choosing Challengers?
How briskly are you? That’s actually vital.
It’s taking a look at private bests, it’s taking a look at medals, it’s taking a look at rivalries, it’s momentum. The most vital factor is who the followers need to see and we’re in the end making an attempt to place an important product out on the monitor. Agents suggest their athletes to us and we take into account and the right way to put collectively one of the best discipline attainable.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Getty)
What occurs if a Racer/Challenger will get injured mid season?
The Racers are dedicated contractually to do all 4 Slams however in fact, as is nature within the sport, there shall be hiccups alongside the way in which. If that does occur, then we merely add an additional Challenger. So, you’d have 5 Challengers versus 4. If somebody will get harm two days earlier than then we’ll do our very best to at all times have an alternate Challenger able to go, to attempt to fill each lane attainable.
If an athlete will get injured, say within the first race and isn’t obtainable to do the second, we’re not going to drive somebody to step on the market and limp by way of a race. We received’t essentially fill that lane if it’s forward of the second race within the weekend.
Can athletes qualify as Challengers midway by way of the Slam season?
Yeah, in fact. I believe significantly in Kingston, it’s early within the yr so we’re going to have lots of Challengers who’re being chosen based mostly off of their efficiency final yr.
Then you’ve others that we’ve seen already come out throughout the indoor season and run tremendous properly and instantly begin the yr off with a bang. However Philadelphia and Los Angeles Slams are so far-off. It’s one thing that we’ve heard lots of athletes already speak about as being certainly one of their targets this season is to run properly early sufficient to in the end be capable of attend a Slam and compete.
Will there be a brand new number of Challengers yearly?
There is no such thing as a particular pool. There may be actually a depth chart and there’s lots of scouting concerned of who’s operating properly. I pour by way of a lot of race outcomes and I additionally suppose a very vital factor is watching the races because you may see the occasions on paper, however the way in which issues really play out tells you a little bit of a narrative as properly.
Yearly in each Slam shall be an entire new contemporary slate and an alternative for athletes to return in and be Challengers. I really suppose a actually thrilling prospect is the chance to introduce sure opponents to the fan base of the game by way of Grand Slam Observe.
Josh Kerr, Cole Hocker, Yared Nuguse (Getty)
Do Challengers receives a commission and if that’s the case, how a lot?
All challengers receives a commission and so they receives a commission the identical quantity throughout the board. They all obtain $2000 as an look payment, with eight athletes within the discipline and eighth place being given $10,000 so in the end it’s a assured $12,000. Most athletes, after they’re stepping on the road, aren’t serious about coming in eighth place, they’re in all probability serious about that $100,000 first prize and all Challengers, in fact, have that chance to win.
Racers are paid a base compensation based mostly on their worth that’s established firstly of the season.
Will Grand Slam Observe ever come to the UK?
It’s in all probability a greater query for our commissioner [Michael Johnson] than myself, however given the wonderful fandom within the UK and the assist that we’ve seen constantly I believe it’s an important potential location. However that’s going to be MJ’s final resolution.
The place will it’s broadcasted for UK followers to observe?
UK viewers are going to have the ability to watch on TNT sports activities, which we simply introduced and are actually excited. It’s such an vital factor, significantly within the first yr, to make it accessible and having the chance for followers to have the ability to really watch.
Grand Slam Observe to air on Eurosport and TNT Sports activities
Are there any plans to herald every other occasions sooner or later?
There aren’t any speedy plans. There are many enjoyable and totally different combos to theorize a fewnd to have a enjoyable chat with on the bar with your mates however proper now we’re centered on the present format and occasions as structured.
Olympic 400m ultimate (Getty)
Was there a motive to host 4 Slams, did you take into account every other quantity?
You do see that it really works rather well in tennis and golf. I believe it’s a great beginning level and significantly for our Racers who’ve by no means needed to commit to such a sequence of meets one after one other. It’s one thing that they have been excited to do and that it’s one thing that we’ve heard constantly from our Racers.
It’s very nice to know your schedule firstly of the season and I do know the coaches actually wish to plan backwards.
Would you take into account introducing greater than 4 Slams sooner or later?
There’s positively conversations and the potential to at some point increase however proper now it’s actually simply heads down and centered on placing on 4 nice meets this yr.
How will the league propel the game and appeal to new viewers?
We all know the game already has an enormous fan base, proper? We see it each single Olympic cycle, each 4 years and I believe the objective of Grand Slam Observe is to primarily knock down a few of these limitations of these followers who solely come each 4 years and attempt to seize their consideration in between a bit extra.
That begins with making monitor extra accessible for followers, each when it comes to understanding how and when and the place to observe. Additionally, with the ability to assure who’s going to be there and having one of the best athletes dedicated to race one another often is a large unlock for us.
It builds lots of intriguing rivalries and matchups that I believe in the end will make present followers very completely satisfied and proceed to herald people who solely come each 4 years. The sport is so typically loved in retrospect, you see the outcomes and then you definitely return and rewatch the race after having already heard what’s going to occur. I believe we’d like to have the ability to have the followers benefit from the pleasure of the game in actual time, watching it unfold reside.
Gabby Thomas (Getty)
Will we see evaluation and athlete interviews all through the TV protection?
Yeah, positively. I’m tremendous dedicated to not solely having nice races showcased, however offering an entertaining TV product. One of the largest benefits of getting Grand Slam Observe on this format is to have entry to the athletes and the data that we are able to present to the manufacturing facet.
An enormous facet of what we’re doing is we have contractual obligations of athletes to make themselves obtainable for behind the scenes, storytelling and interviews, and to offer followers watching at residence a bit extra context about who they’re and what they’re watching and due to this fact giving them better rooting curiosity.
Will athletes have walkout songs?
On the whole, music was tremendous vital to the league and creating the setting of the native cultures of the place every Slam is situated. We positively have some cool ways in which we’re going to combine it into the occasion. You’ll need to tune in or come watch to see, nevertheless it’s going to be enjoyable.
Jess Hull (Getty)
Why did you determine on the 800m/1500m Slam as a substitute of 400m/800m?
The 800m/1500m is a extra conventional double. I can consider lots of nice British athletes that have been actually good at each the 800m and the 1500m.
It doesn’t matter what occasion mixture is throughout the board, it’d really feel prefer it’s the proper match for one athlete and possibly not for an additional. I suppose the 800m/1500m might be the occasion that we’ve seen probably the most chatter about on-line.
It brings collectively such a singular range of expertise and you see matchups once more that you’d by no means see. We’re seeing prime athletes conflict that don’t line up versus each other ever. Particularly in Kingston, now we have one, two, three within the 1500m after which you’ve introduced already one, two, 4 from the Paris 800m. So there’s lots of curiosity.
We’re seeing lots of athletes who don’t also have a 1500m private greatest to their title who’re going to now have one in a month. I say this as a former 1500m runner, for the the 800m, the 1500m guys are going to have the ability to run lots quicker than I believe folks notice.
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