• Loading stock data...
Saturday, June 21, 2025

Everything About the US Open Is Big, and It’s Not Slowing Down

  • Tournament attendance and revenue records are again set to be broken.
  • The final tennis major of the year has enjoyed a strong resurgence since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

There is now a roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium, the centerpiece venue for the US Open. But there is seemingly no ceiling on what is already the largest event in tennis. 

The main draw for the sport’s final major of 2024 begins Monday, and the event is poised for across-the-board increases in key business metrics, even after posting record-setting results last year. The prize pool for the US Open this year is up by 15% from last year to $75 million, the largest sum for any individual event in tennis history, while the men’s and women’s champions will each receive $3.6 million, up by 20% from 2023. 

Event organizers, meanwhile, are targeting one million in total attendance for the entire three-week run, including the US Open Fan Week that precedes the tournament. Such a figure would also be unprecedented in tennis history and, if achieved, would mark at least a 4.5% bump from last year’s record total of 957,837.

“[2023] was extraordinary for us. It was record-breaking in so many ways, in almost every possible regard,” said Lew Sherr, United States Tennis Association CEO and executive director. “We saw the highest number of fans on-site we had ever experienced. We saw the highest broadcast viewership. We saw the highest digital engagement. We are absolutely expecting that trend to continue.”

The US Open’s operating revenue figure of $514.1 million in 2023, which grew by 8.9% from the year before, is also set for further lift. The overall attendance trends, of course, are a key driver in that. But tournament organizers also saw earlier-than-ever sellouts for much of the US Open premium-level inventory such as suites. Overall hospitality sales for this year’s US Open are also up by 27% compared to last year, according to Elevate, which works with the USTA on this part of the tournament.

Event organizers are also seeing a growing link between the Fan Week—which includes tournament qualifying and practices, and a series of family events—and fans then returning for the main draw. 

Built for This

The US Open is specifically designed to boost the accessibility of tennis to mass audiences, with a 23,859-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium, the sport’s largest facility, sitting at the center of an event that carries a rather different vibe than many other tournaments.  

But there will be some notable tweaks this year to the US Open’s notoriously long-running night sessions—which have been a defining tournament feature since 1975 but have stretched to nearly 3 a.m. local time in recent years, frustrating players and fans alike. Now, if the second match of the night at Arthur Ashe Stadium or the last match at adjacent Louis Armstrong Stadium hasn’t started by 11:15 p.m., referees will have the ability to move those matches to another available court. 

“That’s [still] going to depend on many variables, like do we have the broadcast team ready, do we have a ball crew, [and] so forth,” said Stacey Allaster, US Open tournament director. “But we’re defining that it’s a possibility.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Pacers Force Game 7, Could Spark Big Ratings Boost for NBA Finals

Game 7 could boost NBA Finals ratings after a slow start this year.

Omaha Delivers Again: LSU, Coastal Carolina Set for CWS Showdown

LSU and Coastal Carolina begin their three-game series Saturday.
Mark Walter

Mark Walter Just Bought the Lakers at a $10B Valuation. Who Is..

Walter’s Lakers buy is easily the biggest franchise sale ever.
Washington's Ben Gorsage, right, and Orland Park Sandburg's Mateo Ramiro-Garcia tangle at the start of the Class 3A state 800-meter run Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Gorsage took third place, followed by Ramiro-Garcia in fourth.

Dozens of Olympic Sports Have Been Cut in Wake of House v...

Tennis, track and field, and swimming and diving appear heavily impacted.

Featured Today

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.

Pac-12 Still Playing Conference Tetris As Realignment Heats Up

Sacramento State is leaving the Big Sky for the Big West.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates after scoring a 3-pointer Tuesday, June 17, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Connecticut Sun, 88-71.
June 18, 2025

Caitlin Clark ‘Celebrates’ Chance at $500K Commissioner’s Cup Prize

The winning team shares a $500,000 prize pool.
June 19, 2025

Fire Rekindled? WNBA’s Portland Expansion Team Eyes Original Name

WNBA trademarks hint at Portland Fire revival as league expands and honors history.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
June 18, 2025

Dana White’s Next Frontier: Making Jiu-Jitsu Mainstream

The TKO Group Holdings–owned competition expands once again.
Club World Cup
June 18, 2025

Club World Cup Attendance Plummets for Weekday Games: 3,700 in Orlando, ‘Almost..

Chelsea’s manager bemoaned an “almost empty” stadium in Atlanta.
June 18, 2025

Premier League Embraces NFL-Style Flex Scheduling for 2025–26

The league warns of additional games “moving at relatively short notice.”
Sophie Cunningham
June 18, 2025

Fever and Sun Hit With Tiny Fines After Wild Melee

WNBA coaches have long complained about a lack of transparency in fines.