From empty stands and absent superstars to progressive codecs and weird match-ups – did the inaugural Grand Slam Track assembly ship?
The 12 athletes who left Kingston, Jamaica this weekend with an extra $100,000 (£77,500) after competing in simply two occasions may counsel it was a big success.
However, big swathes of empty seats on the National Stadium led to the sensation that the progressive new format, the brainchild of 4-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson, has work to do so as to seize an viewers.
“Obviously, look, let’s be sincere. We would love to see more spectators right here, ?” Johnson mentioned.
“We assume we’ll get that, we expect that’ll occur. But the group was engaged, and that is what’s actually necessary. People had been actually engaged with what’s occurring right here.”
American Johnson mentioned he launched the idea, broadcast on TNT Sports within the UK, in a bid to keep the eye and pleasure athletics generates each 4 years on the Olympics.
The occasion in Jamaica was the primary of 4 scheduled three-day occasions – every of the following three happen within the United States – and Johnson was happy with the way it performed out, though he admitted there are points to iron out.
“Everything went easy from a competitors standpoint,” Johnson added. “But we had a few issues behind the scenes that we did not like.
“Other folks in all probability did not discover it, however we did. We will take a look at every thing. We observed numerous various things. But these aren’t the issues we’re going to get into proper now.
“Right now we’re simply celebrating that we had a nice occasion, athletes and followers loved it. We’ll proceed to enhance.”