“I love this sport and owe everything I have to this sport“, says Track and Field legend Michael Johnson as he sets on to give it back. The 5x Olympic Champion has long retired from the sport after one of the greatest sprinting careers, and as the Paris Olympics draws by, he aims to expand the popularity of Track and Field beyond the U.S. public.
The 56-year-old has been vocal about the upliftment of track and field stars, and the new league will ensure that. And if the latest reports are to be believed, he is splurging some cash on the venture as well.
Michael Johnson partners for new tracks and field league
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Michael Johnson believes that track and field has only managed the attention of the American public during the Olympics. And aiming to change that perspective, he has joined hands with Winners Alliance to develop a new track and field league. The league aims to increase the engagement of fans by providing a TV-friendly product, and Johnson is reportedly splurging some cash from his $14m net worth to invest in it.
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The new league will not only provide entertainment but also help athletes commercialize their rights. Speaking about the reasons he joined the venture, Johnson expressed, “It’s been a shame for me to watch it over the last couple decades since I retired not be able to continue to provide the same amazing moments to people, outside of just the Olympics”. The league will be headed and operated by Winners Alliance, who are believed to have made a 7-figure investment into it while Johnson, along with other stakeholders, is holding talks with potential media partners and sponsors for what he calls a ‘real opportunity‘.
Johnson finds an opportunity in dropping track and field viewership
For the first time since 2006, NBC didn’t televise the USATF outdoor championships last summer, indicating a major drop in viewership across the States for events outside of the Olympics and World Championships. Finding the opportunity in the adversary is Michael Johnson, who joined Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson in admitting to a lack of coverage in track and field.
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“That’s unfortunate, since over 3 billion people are watching the sport once a year during those major championships and have an expressed interest to continue watching the sport if there was a place to do so. So I see it as a real opportunity from that perspective“, Johnson said when asked about the NBC’s decision. While the information about the expected start dates hasn’t been revealed yet, the Winners Alliance is said to be in talks with World Athletics.
