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 later this month. 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.
Boehly backs ‘Premflix’ project
Todd Boehly wants the Premier League to launch its own global TV channel and sell matches direct to fans.
The Chelsea co-owner made headlines last week by raising the spectre of a mass sale of rights to a streaming service such as Netflix, but sources close to the American have told City AM that his preferred model is for the Premier League to cut out third-party broadcasters entirely and produce their own content.
Boehly also owns stakes in the LA Dodgers and LA Lakers, who have benefitted from Major League Baseball and the NBA’s innovative model of selling games direct to consumers overseas via their League Pass and Game Pass services respectively.
The Premier League’s domestic and overseas TV rights have been sold until 2029, but over the next few years there will be serious discussions among clubs about adopting a different sales model in the future, particularly with 10 of the current top-flight clubs having American owners.
Boehly is also clear in his view that the Premier League should continue to sell TV rights collectively rather than bow to pressure from some owners to let them do their own deals, a move which would be likely to increase financial disparity.
“Premier League content is so valuable because it’s so widely demanded,” Boehly said at the Financial Times’ Business of Football Summit last week.
“If you really think about what it could do to unlock a global media platform, there’s nothing like this. I’m not saying that is the direct answer right this minute, but I think that’s where we’re headed.”
Reading hope over Platek takeover
Reading are confident that their proposed sale to American businessman Robert Platek will be approved by the EFL despite concerns being raised by other clubs regarding a potential conflict of interest.
Platek is co-head of global credit at BDT & MSD Partners, an investment company that has lent tens of millions of pounds to other EFL clubs including Burnley, West Brom, Derby and Sunderland, as well as Premier League side Southampton.
A number of those loans give MSD security over the club’s stadium in the event of a missed repayment, leading to concerns that Platek could have influence of several clubs. Sunderland are currently in the process of negotiating another £35m loan from MSD, for example, although it is unclear whether Platek is involved.
The EFL is aware of the issue and in regular communication with Reading, but the club are not concerned. City AM has learned that the League One outfit’s confidence is rooted in the fact that Platek previously came close to taking control at West Brom, without the EFL blocking his bid.
The EFL declined to comment, but if Platek meets the requirements of its rulebook as an individual his offer for Reading is likely to be approved.
Cheltenham lays artificial track
Cheltenham Racecourse chiefs have put down the biggest artificial track ever constructed in Europe ahead of next week’s Festival in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the car park chaos that marred last year’s event.
Racegoers reported being stuck in the car park for hours at Prestbury Park due to muddy conditions following torrential rain in the Cotswolds after paying up to £30 for the privilege.
Cheltenham have responded by laying 18,000 trackway panels to provide firmer conditions in the car parks. The temporary “roads” in the car park measure 130,000 square metres or 32 acres, which is approximately the size of 17 football pitches.