Business mogul Alexis Ohanian is celebrating the success of the inaugural ATHLOS Track Meet, which has set a new standard in athletics by surpassing the viewership record previously held by Caitlyn Clark’s WNBA debut.
Event Overview
The ATHLOS Track Meet took place on September 26 at Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York City. This unique event was groundbreaking as it featured only female athletes, including Olympic champions and world record holders, showcasing their talents in a competitive yet entertaining atmosphere.
Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and husband to tennis legend Serena Williams, sponsored the meet, which offered the largest purse ever for a women-only competition in athletics history. Each of the six races—100m hurdles, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m—provided substantial financial incentives: winners received $60,000, second place earned $25,000, and third place took home $10,000, with smaller amounts for subsequent finishers.
A Historic Achievement
The event garnered an impressive 3 million views across various media platforms, including ESPN, DAZN, YouTube, and X, marking it as one of the highest viewership figures in track and field history. This achievement eclipsed the 2.1 million viewers of Caitlyn Clark’s WNBA debut for the Indiana Fever, which had previously set a record for the highest viewership on ESPN for a women’s basketball game.
For context, Clark’s debut drew significant attention, peaking at 2.3 million viewers during the game against the Connecticut Sun, which also highlighted the rising popularity of women’s sports.
Ohanian’s Response
Following the successful event, Ohanian took to X to announce the groundbreaking viewership milestone, thanking the athletes and his team for their hard work. He wrote:
“3 MILLION. That’s right—3 million viewers saw @Athlos around the world, across our streaming partners @ESPN, @dazngroup, @YouTube, & @X. Amazing job. Credit to these incredible athletes. To the team that put this together. To everybody for watching and supporting.”
Conclusion
The ATHLOS Track Meet not only celebrated female athleticism but also modernized the sport by blending competition with entertainment, featuring a performance by popular musician Megan Thee Stallion. The event has been widely praised by athletes and fans alike, signaling a bright future for women’s athletics and setting a new benchmark for viewership in the sport.