There is no doubt that the Grand Slam Track (GST) series, spearheaded by sprint legend Michael Johnson, is one of the most exciting ideas track and field has seen in a long time. Big prize money, top-tier talent, a points-based format, and global stops—all of it screams innovation and ambition. But if the first stop in Kingston from April 4–6 is any indication, ambition needs a good dose of reality to succeed. Especially in Jamaica.

Let’s not sugar-coat it—attendance for the three days of the meet was poor. Saturday only drew a larger crowd because the bleacher seats were free. While the product on the track was world-class—Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone floated through the 400m hurdles, Salwa Eid Naser stunned in the 400m, Kenny Bednarek roared in the 100m, and Alison dos Santos made a statement in the long hurdles—the energy in the stands could have been much better with a larger audience. That is not the fault of the athletes. The issues were structural. And these are the lessons Johnson and his team must learn quickly.

1. Timing is Everything—And This Was the Worst Possible One

First, the GST meet came just a week after the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships. Anyone who knows Jamaica knows Champs is more than just a meet—it’s a cultural phenomenon. It’s also a massive financial commitment for fans. Between tickets, travel, food, and merchandise, the average Jamaican fan spends heavily across Champs Week.

Now imagine asking those same fans, just days later, to fork out US$60 per day for Grandstand seats or US$20 for bleachers. That’s J$9,000 and J$3,000 respectively in a country where minimum wage is under J$15,000 per week. It’s just not feasible for most. The reality is that Jamaica is not a rich country, and unlike fans in the U.S., Jamaicans don’t have the disposable income to double-dip on premium-priced meets in back-to-back weeks. That’s not a lack of love for the sport—it’s economics.

2. Star Power Drives Gate Receipts

GST brought some great local names to the track—Oblique Seville, Ackeem Blake, Rushell Clayton, Roshawn Clarke—but in Jamaica, that’s not enough. Seville is yet to win a global title. Clarke, though promising, is still making his name. And while Clayton has World Championship medals, none of these athletes command the kind of emotional pull that gets fans to stretch their pockets.

The unfortunate truth is that many Jamaican track fans are wagonists—they rally behind winners. Shericka Jackson, the country’s biggest star right now, chose to run in Florida instead. If she, or Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce or even a Julien Alfred vs. Sha’Carri Richardson showdown were on the bill, the turnstiles would’ve told a different story.

The GST needs to think like a boxing promoter—sell the fights people want to see. Imagine a Noah Lyles vs. Seville rematch after Paris. Or a McLaughlin-Levrone vs. Femke Bol 400mH showdown. That’s what pulls crowds.

3. Start Time Misfire—And a Missed Opportunity

Another critical error was the start time: 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. That’s the exact moment when Kingston becomes a gridlocked mess. People are just getting off work. A fan told me it took her nearly an hour to get from Heroes’ Circle to the National Stadium—a distance of about 4.5km—and by the time she arrived, most of the meet was done.

While it’s understandable that broadcast partners may have influenced the start time, given the international ambitions of the series, the local environment should have dictated otherwise. In Jamaica, it’s well known that evening start times work best—7:00 or 7:30 p.m. gives fans time to get to the stadium without duress.

And the evidence is clear. The National Stadium rarely ever fills its 35,000 seats, even for top-tier track meets. The few times it came close were when the events were held in the evening, such as the 2002 World Junior Championships or the 2010 Jamaica International Invitational, when Usain Bolt had just become the hottest ticket in world sport after his record-breaking performance in Berlin the year before.

Even ISSA’s decision to move the 100m finals to Wednesday night has struggled to gain traction with fans, despite the athletic fireworks. Jamaicans are stubborn about tradition, and GST would be wise to note that timing can make or break the crowd experience.

4. Promotion Must Go Beyond Social Media

To be fair, the GST team did a fantastic job online—slick graphics, exciting reels, strong athlete storytelling. But on the ground in Jamaica, there was almost no buzz. No billboards in Half-Way Tree, no flyers in the hands of school kids, no heavy radio spots, no robust ticket giveaways on morning shows. Jamaica still responds to traditional media. If there’s a show on IRIE FM or Nationwide with a big guest, people listen. If there’s a billboard outside Devon House, people stop. GST needed that local punch.

Grassroots engagement works. Put your stars in schools, on talk shows, in front of market crowds. Let the people feel like they’re part of something bigger.

5. This Was Still a Win—Just Not the Kind That Sells Tickets

For all the challenges, there were big wins. The competition was world-class. The format and production were solid. The prize money is revolutionary. These are not small things. They’re a strong foundation. But like any startup venture, GST must learn from its stumbles. The Jamaican leg can’t be written off—it should be studied.

Michael Johnson and his team deserve credit for daring to create something new. Now they must listen, adjust, and localize their approach. Because what works in Austin or Atlanta won’t always work in Kingston.

And that's okay. Every innovator has a learning curve. The Grand Slam Track Series has the potential to reshape the sport. But first, it must respect the nuances of its most passionate markets. And despite the shortcomings, few markets love track more than Jamaica.

At the conclusion of the meet on Sunday, Johnson revealed that everything will be under review including whether the meet will come back to Jamaica in the future. I hope it does, but the lessons of last week must be considered if fan engagement is to improve next time around. If there is a next time.