TNT Sports is set to bid for UK TV rights for Michael Johnson’s new Grand Slam Track league, which begins in Kingston, Jamaica next month.The four-time Olympic champion has signed 48 international athletes, including Team GB Olympic silver medalists Josh Kerr and Matthew Hudson-Smith, and sprinter Daryll Neita, for the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track.Fellow Briton Dina Asher-Smith is competing in a guest spot at the Kingston meet, which will be followed by events in Miami and Los Angeles before concluding in Philadelphia in September.In a surprise move streaming provider Peacock, which is owned by Olympic broadcaster NBC Sports and also shows Premier League matches, has bought the exclusive American rights for Johnson’s new competition after walking away from an existing contract with World Athletics’ Diamond League. Entertainment network CW, which broadcast LIV Golf events in the US until this year, has secured a subsidiary package to televise weekend events.Johnson’s huge profile after two decades as the BBC’s leading athletics pundit has created significant interest in this country, despite the fact that all of the events this year will take place in an American time zone.TNT Sports is understood to be leading the way following initial discussions and is hopeful of securing a deal. The BBC is not expected to bid despite the link with Johnson.Securing a UK TV deal would be a significant boost for Grand Slam Track in its first season. Johnson has raised £25m to fund the series and guaranteed a prize fund of £10m plus undisclosed appearance fees, which has been enough to attract global stars including Kenya’s world 800m champion Mary Moraa.The total prize pot of £10m is higher than that on offer at the World Athletics Championship, while the win bonuses for each individual event of £78,000 are three times those available in the Diamond League.In addition to greater prize money Grand Slam Track will also have a novel format, with all athletes taking part in two events – the 100m and 200m for example, or 800m and 1500m – and racing twice over a weekend. Aggregate placings in the two races will determine the winners rather than individual times. TNT Sports declined to comment.
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