Alexis Ohanian Voices Frustration as Grand Slam Track’s Payment Failure Sparks Track and Field Uproar

“Come help me build the future!” This is what Alexis Ohanian has urged as he rallies support to elevate track and field. It all started on July 6, after the 2025 Prefontaine Classic, when an X user posted the intense photo finish between Yared Nuguse and Niels Laros, wondering how track isn’t already the world’s biggest sport. Ohanian jumped in with a bold promise: “It will be one of the most popular.” He followed up with the rallying call and dropped a link to his upcoming Athlos NYC event on October 10, 2025. The tech entrepreneur has big plans for the sport, though one has to wonder if he’s keeping the Grand Slam Track fallout in mind.

The track and field world had been eagerly awaiting the final leg of the Grand Slam Track in Los Angeles. But on June 12, Michael Johnson announced the abrupt end of the league’s inaugural season, cancelling the much-anticipated LA event. The news disappointed many, especially after the excitement generated by the previous stops in Kingston, Miami, and Philadelphia. So what caused the cancellation? While Grand Slam Track has consistently denied financial troubles as the reason, there are clear signs the once well-funded venture is scaling back. This wave of cost-cutting has directly impacted the athletes, enough to prompt Alexis Ohanian to finally speak out.

Front Office Sports published a report on July 12 featuring Alexis Ohanian’s take on the situation. Tensions between Grand Slam Track and Ohanian’s Athlos NYC had flared up before, with public back-and-forths between the two sides. Still, the sudden collapse of Michael Johnson’s ambitious league didn’t please Ohanian. He remarked, “No one is celebrating this. … No one wants to see less investment in the sport.” As for the ongoing payment disputes with athletes, Ohanian didn’t hold back: “Nothing could prepare me for the broke-ness that exists in the infrastructure around this sport, and the sort of low-integrity behavior. … It’s sad.” But what exactly are these payment disputes about?

AUSTIN, TEXAS – MARCH 13: Alexis Ohanian Sr. speaks onstage at “Featured Session: Empowering the Next Generation to Build a Better Future” during the 2023 SXSW Conference and Festivals at Hilton Austin on March 13, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Amy E. Price/Getty Images for SXSW)

At its launch, Grand Slam Track promised a groundbreaking financial model: $12.6 million in prize money spread across four events, plus salaries for its 48 core “racers” and smaller appearance fees for “challengers” making single appearances. Winning an event group came with a hefty $100,000 payout — far more than traditional track meets offered. However, by canceling the L.A. meet and the Philly 5K, GST saved over $3 million. Despite that, many athletes still haven’t been paid for their performances in Kingston, Miami, and Philadelphia. GST executive Kyle Merber addressed this in an email, saying, “We plan to make payments for Kingston prize money before the end of July and the remaining payments due by the end of September, which includes the honouring of Los Angeles appearance fees.” Whether this timeline is realistic or not remains uncertain, but the cautious tone in their messaging is unmistakable.

On top of that, Michael Johnson’s league faced another awkward moment last week. Grand Slam Track’s TikTok account, which is still active, posted a video featuring Gabby Thomas, the dynamic sprinter and triple Olympic gold medalist from Paris, who was also one of the league’s marquee athletes. Thomas commented on the post, writing, “So dope!!” followed by a blunt reminder: “Pls pay me.” Amid all this, the question remains — what does Alexis Ohanian plan to do differently to change the landscape?

Alexis Ohanian is on his way to mend things. 

Last year, Athlos NYC made waves — but for Alexis Ohanian, that was just the beginning. He saw a bigger opportunity, a chance to reshape the very foundation of track and field. So for 2026, Athlos isn’t just coming back — it’s evolving.

Ohanian is building a team-based women’s track and field league, with multiple meets set in major cities, designed for the fans, powered by innovation, and — most importantly — led by the athletes themselves. This isn’t just another competition series; it’s a reimagination of how the sport can be seen, felt, and celebrated.

Credit: Instagram/ Sha’Carri Richardson

And the athletes? They’re already dreaming about it. Gabby Thomas, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Tara Davis-Woodhall aren’t just competitors here — they’re advisor-owners, steering the vision from the ground up. On May 29, Gabby couldn’t help but share her excitement: “I dreamt about Athlos last night.” A day earlier, Sha’Carri lit up X with three simple, loaded words: “It’s time!” With momentum building, one thing is clear — for Athlos and for the sport itself, a new era is just beginning.

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