Lately, the track and field fans can’t help but feel the electric buzz surrounding the sport in 2025. The Paris Olympics are behind us, and the track world was buzzing with a new contender: Track legend Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track (GST). Launched with a promise to shake things up, it went head-to-head with the established Wanda Diamond League, the gold standard of track circuits. Fans were glued to every sprint, hurdle, and middle-distance duel, wondering if GST’s bold vision and hefty prize purse could outshine the Diamond League’s storied legacy. So, let’s dive into the race: Does Grand Slam Track really offer more cash than its rival? And what does this mean for the sport we love?

What Is Grand Slam Track?

Picture this: Michael Johnson, the four-time Olympic gold medalist, stepping off the track and into the commissioner’s seat to launch a game-changer. Grand Slam Track kicked off in April 2025, a shiny new league designed to rival the Diamond League. With $30 million in funding from partners, GST was set to host four “Slams” in Kingston, Miami, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, focusing solely on track events. Each meet features 96 athletes (48 men, 48 women) split into 12 groups of eight, racing in two events per weekend. The format?

Head-to-head battles, no pacemakers, and a points system crowning overall champions with a cool $100,000. “We’re in this for the long haul,” Johnson told The Guardian, emphasizing a fan-first approach with storytelling and rivalries at its core. But can a newcomer really challenge a titan like the Diamond League?

What Is the Diamond League?

The Diamond League, born in 2010 as the successor to the Golden League, is the heavyweight champ of track and field. Spanning 15 meets across 13 countries, it’s a global stage where athletes like Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Jakob Ingebrigtsen chase points to qualify for the Zurich final. It’s not just about racing; it’s about prestige, history, and a grueling circuit that tests the best. In 2025, the Diamond League upped its game, offering millions to participating athletes. With meets from Doha to Eugene, it’s a global juggernaut.

But is its prize money enough to keep athletes loyal in the face of GST’s flashy payouts?

How Much Prize Money Does Grand Slam Track Offer?

Grand Slam Track came out swinging with a $12.6 million prize pool for 2025, dwarfing other circuits. Each of its four Slams dishes out $3.15 million, with winners pocketing $100,000 per event, second place grabbing $50,000, and even eighth place earning $10,000. That’s not all…

48 “Racers” get base salaries, while “Challengers” earn appearance fees and can compete for the full prize pot.

Take Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who banked $100,000 for her 400m hurdles win in Kingston. Or Dylan Beard, a hurdler who earned $65,000 across GST meets—more than his yearly Walmart salary, as Johnson proudly noted to Forbes: “They’re earning what they deserve.”

With such life-changing sums, is GST setting a new financial standard for athletes?

How Much Prize Money Does the Diamond League Offer?

The Diamond League, not one to sit idle, boosted its 2025 prize pool to a record $9.24 million, with another $9 million in promotional fees. At most meets, winners earn $10,000, but the new “Diamond+” disciplines—four per meet, eight in the Zurich final—offer $20,000 for wins and $50,000 at the final. The Zurich final itself awards $30,000 to event winners, with Diamond+ victors like Keely Hodgkinson potentially earning $50,000. Across 15 meets, an athlete dominating a single event could net $110,000, though that’s spread thin compared to GST’s concentrated payouts. As some pointed out, even GST’s last-place $10,000 matches a Diamond League win.

So, does the Diamond League’s global reach justify its lower per-race payouts?

Is Grand Slam Track More Lucrative for Athletes than the Diamond League?

Let’s break it down. Grand Slam Track’s $100,000 per win at each Slam is a knockout punch compared to the Diamond League’s $10,000 (or $20,000 for Diamond+). If you’re a top athlete like Gabby Thomas, you could theoretically earn $400,000 by sweeping all four GST meets in one event, versus $110,000 for a perfect Diamond League season. GST also offers appearance fees and salaries, giving athletes like Alison dos Santos financial stability. But there’s a catch: GST’s season is shorter, with only four meets, while the Diamond League’s 15 stops offer more earning opportunities.

So, is the bigger paycheck worth the shorter season?

Which Format Is Better for the Future of Track & Field?

Here’s where it gets tricky. The Diamond League’s prestige is unmatched—15 years of history, global venues, and a rigorous points system make it the pinnacle. Its 15 meets in 2025, from Silesia to Zurich, give athletes consistent exposure and a shot at the Olympics’ $50,000 gold medal bonus, a World Athletics first. But GST’s financial muscle—$12.6 million in prizes, plus salaries—offers a lifeline for athletes. GST’s focus on rivalries and storytelling, as Johnson said, “We wanted to innovate and modernize,” aims to hook fans year-round, not just every four years.

Yet, payment delays have tarnished GST’s shine. By July 2025, $13 million in prizes and fees remained unpaid, with athletes still waiting. Johnson admitted to the BBC, “We’re struggling,” citing an investor pulling an eight-figure sum. The Diamond League, while slower with payments due to anti-doping protocols, typically clears within weeks, not months.

Can Grand Slam Track recover from these financial hiccups to challenge the Diamond League’s legacy?

Both circuits can coexist, and they might have to. The Diamond League’s global reach and history appeal to purists, while GST’s cash and focus on head-to-head drama draw new fans. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe told The Guardian he supports private ventures, but stressed, “The athletes do need paying.”

GST’s cancellation of its Los Angeles meet due to low attendance and funding issues raises questions about sustainability. Still, with stars like Josh Kerr and Cole Hocker signing on, GST’s pulling power is real. The sport needs both: The Diamond League’s steady drumbeat and GST’s bold sprint.

But which will define track’s future—a legacy of prestige or a revolution of riches?