Michael Johnson on Grand Slam Track’s Future | No ‘Seismic’ MLS Schedule Changes, Yet

It’s been a challenging first year for Grand Slam Track, as the start-up league canceled its final slam event in June and reportedly still owes millions to its athletes. Michael Johnson, the league’s founder and former U.S. Olympian, exclusively told FOS Today the reason for the financial struggles—a key investor backed out—and discussed its future. Read the full exclusive here on FOS.

Meanwhile, on the heels of a Lionel Messi–less MLS All-Star Game, commissioner Don Garber met with team governors in Austin and says the league is still working on a potential “seismic” schedule change that would align MLS with the rest of the global soccer calendar, playing from fall to spring. FOS newsletter writer Eric Fisher explains why a future schedule change might not happen until 2027, plus he combs through data on how many fans are watching the games on Apple TV+.

And Big Ten media days wrap in Las Vegas, and FOS reporter Amanda Christovich tells Baker Machado and Dan Roberts about her conversation with commissioner Tony Petitti about the potential for private equity to flow into the conference.

Key Moments:

0:37 - Hulk Hogan dies at 71, NFL record financials, NBC's new sports channel

4:22 - MLS commissioner Don Garber on potential "seismic" schedule change, viewership on Apple TV

9:48 - Grand Slam Track Founder Michael Johnson

17:45 - BIG 10 media days recap

21:03 - Sophie Cunningham fined for TikTok post

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