Grand Slam Observe solutions your questions

Director of Athletes and Racing at Grand Slam reveals all in regards to the new league

As Michael Johnson’s new observe 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 in regards to the occasion that guarantees to revolutionize the game of observe 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: 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’ll 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 house $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.

How had been the occasions chosen?

Loads of issues went into it previous to them being finalized. However I feel finally the format clearly values being the quickest, proper? That’s a very powerful factor but additionally having a variety and having the ability to carry out constantly throughout a number of occasions. I feel the mixture of getting two race distances gives a bit bit extra jeopardy for the racers.

I feel 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 a couple of Slam. I feel in the event you preserve profitable, then you definitely’re welcome to maintain coming again and will definitely be invited.

I feel from my philosophy standpoint is that we do wish to see a story of Challengers throughout all the season. A very sturdy level within the format is having that chance to usher in those that are racing properly, and the up and coming or the brand new rivalries and simply seeing one thing totally different every day out. We’ll see loads of contemporary faces however there’s definitely 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 definitely 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 wish to see and we’re finally making an attempt to place an important product out on the observe. Agents suggest their athletes to us and we take into account and easy methods to put collectively the most effective discipline potential.

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 can 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 best possible to at all times 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 out there to do the second, we’re not going to pressure 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, after all. I feel significantly in Kingston, it’s early within the yr so we’re going to have loads of Challengers who’re being chosen based mostly off of their efficiency final yr.

Then you might have 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 distant. It’s one thing that we’ve heard loads of athletes already speak about as being considered one of their objectives this season is to run properly early sufficient to finally have the ability to attend a Slam and compete.

Will there be a brand new collection of Challengers yearly?

There isn’t a particular pool. There’s definitely a depth chart and there’s loads of scouting concerned of who’s operating properly. I pour by way of plenty of race outcomes and I additionally assume a very vital factor is watching the races because you may see the occasions on paper, however the way in which issues truly play out tells you a little bit of a narrative as properly.

Yearly in each Slam can be an entire new contemporary slate and an alternative for athletes to return in and be Challengers. I truly assume a actually thrilling prospect is the chance to introduce sure opponents to the fan base of the game by way of Grand Slam Observe.

Do Challengers receives a commission and in that 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 finally it’s a assured $12,000. Most athletes, after they’re stepping on the road, aren’t fascinated about coming in eighth place, they’re in all probability fascinated about that $100,000 first prize and all Challengers, after all, have that chance to win.

Racers are paid a base compensation based mostly on their worth that’s established at the beginning 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 superb fandom within the UK and the help that we’ve seen constantly I feel it’s an important potential location. However that’s going to be MJ’s final determination.

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 truly watch.

Grand Slam Observe to air on Eurosport and TNT Sports activities

Are there any plans to usher in another occasions sooner or later?

There aren’t any instant 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 targeted on the present format and occasions as structured.

Was there a cause to host 4 Slams, did you take into account another quantity?

You do see that it really works rather well in tennis and golf. I feel it’s a very good 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 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 at the beginning of the season and I do know the coaches actually prefer to plan backwards.

Would you take into account introducing greater than 4 Slams sooner or later?

There’s positively conversations and the potential to someday develop however proper now it’s actually simply heads down and targeted 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 feel the aim of Grand Slam Observe is to basically 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 observe extra accessible for followers, each when it comes to understanding 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 usually is a big unlock for us.

It builds loads of intriguing rivalries and matchups that I feel finally will make present followers very glad and proceed to usher in 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 feel 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.

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 aspect.

An enormous facet of what we’re doing is we have contractual obligations of athletes to make themselves out there for behind the scenes, storytelling and interviews, and to offer followers watching at house a bit extra context about who they’re and what they’re watching and subsequently giving them larger rooting curiosity. 

Will athletes have walkout songs?

Generally, music was tremendous vital to the league and creating the surroundings of the native cultures of the place every Slam is positioned. 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, nevertheless it’s going to be enjoyable.

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 loads of nice British athletes that had been definitely 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 one more. I assume the 800m/1500m might be the occasion that we’ve seen essentially the most chatter about on-line.

It brings collectively such a novel range 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’ve got one, two, three within the 1500m after which you might have introduced already one, two, 4 from the Paris 800m. So there’s loads of curiosity.

We’re seeing loads of 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 feel folks understand.

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