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 subject.
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: quick sprints (100m/200m), quick 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 towards completely 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 towards 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 had been the occasions chosen?
A number of issues went into it previous to them being finalized. However I believe finally the format clearly values being the quickest, proper? That’s crucial factor but additionally having a variety and having the ability to carry out constantly throughout a number of occasions. I believe the mixture of getting two race distances gives somewhat 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 finally sparks extra debate and dialog amongst the followers.
Can a Challenger compete in a number of slams?
There isn’t a official rule saying {that a} challenger can’t compete in multiple Slam. I believe in the event you 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 your entire season. A extremely robust level within the format is having that chance to usher in those that are racing effectively, and the up and coming or the brand new rivalries and simply seeing one thing completely different every trip. We’ll see numerous contemporary faces however there’s actually some Challengers I already know which can be going to be constantly there.
What did you search for when deciding on Challengers?
How briskly are you? That’s actually necessary.
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 necessary factor is who the followers need to see and we’re finally making an attempt to place a terrific product out on the monitor. Agents suggest their athletes to us and we contemplate and how one can put collectively the most effective subject potential.
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 after all, as is nature within the sport, there will likely be hiccups alongside the best way. If that does occur, then we merely add an additional Challenger. So, you’d have 5 Challengers versus 4. If somebody will get damage two days earlier than then we’ll do our very best to all the time have an alternate Challenger able to go, to attempt to fill each lane potential.
If an athlete will get injured, say within the first race and isn’t accessible to do the second, we’re not going to power somebody to step on the market and limp by means of a race. We gained’t essentially fill that lane if it’s forward of the second race within the weekend.
Can athletes qualify as Challengers midway by means of the Slam season?
Yeah, after all. I believe notably in Kingston, it’s early within the 12 months so we’re going to have numerous Challengers who’re being chosen primarily based off of their efficiency final 12 months.
Then you’ve got others that we’ve seen already come out throughout the indoor season and run tremendous effectively and instantly begin the 12 months off with a bang. However Philadelphia and Los Angeles Slams are so far-off. It’s one thing that we’ve heard numerous athletes already speak about as being one among their objectives this season is to run effectively early sufficient to finally be capable to attend a Slam and compete.
Will there be a brand new collection of Challengers yearly?
There isn’t a particular pool. There’s actually a depth chart and there’s numerous scouting concerned of who’s operating effectively. I pour by means of numerous race outcomes and I additionally suppose a extremely necessary factor is watching the races because you would possibly see the instances on paper, however the best way issues truly play out tells you a little bit of a narrative as effectively.
Yearly in each Slam will likely be an entire new contemporary slate and an alternative for athletes to return in and be Challengers. I truly suppose a actually thrilling prospect is the chance to introduce sure opponents to the fan base of the game by means 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 subject and eighth place being given $10,000 so finally it’s a assured $12,000. Most athletes, once they’re stepping on the road, aren’t enthusiastic about coming in eighth place, they’re most likely enthusiastic about that $100,000 first prize and all Challengers, after all, have that chance to win.
Racers are paid a base compensation primarily based on their worth that’s established in the beginning of the season.
Will Grand Slam Observe ever come to the UK?
It’s most likely 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 a terrific potential location. However that’s going to be MJ’s final choice.
The place will or not 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 necessary factor, notably within the first 12 months, to make it accessible and having the chance for followers to have the ability to truly watch.
Grand Slam Observe to air on Eurosport and TNT Sports activities
Are there any plans to usher in some other occasions sooner or later?
There are not any rapid plans. There are many enjoyable and completely different combos to theorize a fewnd to have a enjoyable chat with on the bar with your pals however proper now we’re targeted on the present format and occasions as structured.
Olympic 400m closing (Getty)
Was there a cause to host 4 Slams, did you contemplate some other quantity?
You do see that it really works rather well in tennis and golf. I believe it’s an excellent beginning level and notably for our Racers who’ve by no means needed to commit to such a collection of meets one after one other. It’s one thing that they had 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 in the beginning of the season and I do know the coaches actually prefer to plan backwards.
Would you contemplate introducing greater than 4 Slams sooner or later?
There’s positively conversations and the potential to at some point develop however proper now it’s actually simply heads down and targeted on placing on 4 nice meets this 12 months.
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 boundaries 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 figuring out how and when and the place to observe. Additionally, having the ability to assure who’s going to be there and having the most effective athletes dedicated to race one another repeatedly is a big unlock for us.
It builds numerous intriguing rivalries and matchups that I believe finally will make present followers very completely satisfied and proceed to usher in those 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 dwell.
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 knowledge that we will present to the manufacturing aspect.
An enormous facet of what we’re doing is we have contractual obligations of athletes to make themselves accessible 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 subsequently giving them higher rooting curiosity.
Will athletes have walkout songs?
On the whole, music was tremendous necessary 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 should tune in or come watch to see, however it’s going to be enjoyable.
Jess Hull (Getty)
Why did you resolve on the 800m/1500m Slam as a substitute of 400m/800m?
The 800m/1500m is a extra conventional double. I can consider numerous nice British athletes that had 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 right match for one athlete and doubtless not for one more. 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 variety of expertise and you see matchups once more that you’d by no means see. We’re seeing high athletes conflict that don’t line up versus each other ever. Particularly in Kingston, we have now one, two, three within the 1500m after which you’ve got introduced already one, two, 4 from the Paris 800m. So there’s numerous curiosity.
We’re seeing numerous athletes who don’t actually have a 1500m private finest to their identify 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 quite a bit quicker than I believe folks notice.
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