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The US Open is doubling down on content creators—literally. The U.S. Tennis Association’s director of media operations Jeanmarie Daly told Front Office Sports ahead of qualifying week that the tournament has already approved credentials for “close to 100” content creators, “almost doubling” the 54 it credentialed for the first time last year.
The 2025 launch of the US Open creator credential was something the USTA “talked about and ideated on” for a long time, per Daly. “We realized we live in a world where traditional media and content creators reach different audiences in different ways,” she said. “Our goal for the program was to have the broadest possible spectrum of coverage for the tournament.”
Last year’s cohort included creators spanning several verticals, from health and fashion to food and lifestyle. The independent content they produced—which was as much about the tournament’s social and retail scenes as its on-court play—generated more than 5.5 million engagements across social platforms, according to the USTA. The 2026 group will include many returners, as well as newcomers operating in “tennis-adjacent spaces.”
The creator credential itself has evolved, too. Says Daly: “This year, we’ve also created a category for social media teams at traditional media outlets, so they can work alongside their colleagues but capture content in a social-first way.” Additionally, the USTA has begun credentialing podcasts, some of which—including Andy Roddick’s Served— will record on the Flushing Meadows grounds during Fan Week Aug. 23-30.
Content Craze
In addition to the independently credentialed group, roughly 15 to 20 creators will produce content specifically on behalf of the US Open—a figure that’s grown alongside the tournament’s overall social footprint.
“A few years ago, our owned and operated US Open social accounts were driving around 1 billion interactions total throughout the entirety of the event,” said Jonathan Zipper, USTA’s senior director of social media. “Two years ago, we drove 2.3 billion, and then last year we broke another record and drove 3.1 billion.”
While Zipper said his team and their network of paid creators produce “thousands upon thousands of pieces of content across platforms” during the three-week tournament, YouTube is a particular focus area for 2026. In the last week, the US Open YouTube account launched a five-episode series called “Rally the Boroughs” that follows three teams of tennis enthusiasts as they complete challenges throughout New York City for singles finals tickets. It also introduced new kids characters.
“I think everything works together collectively to make the event the cultural moment that it is on the calendar at this point,” Zipper said of the USTA’s credentialing and internal creator programs. “The exponential [social media] growth goes hand in hand with the sport of tennis and the tournament itself.”
The 2025 US Open drew 1.14 million attendees, besting a record set only the previous year by 9%.
