The US Open isn’t just one of the world’s great sporting events anymore.
It’s becoming one of America’s great cultural festivals.
Over three weeks, more than one million fans descend on the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows for world-class tennis, food, music, fashion, hospitality, and increasingly, brands.
One of the smartest things the USTA has done is expand what happens before the tournament officially begins.
For years, the qualifying tournament was an insider’s favorite. It was one of the best times to be on the grounds. You could watch incredible players up close, avoid the biggest crowds, and really soak up the atmosphere of one of America’s great sporting traditions.
The USTA was hip to this.
As the sport continues to rise, they’ve leaned further into that preliminary week, transforming it into what is now officially called Fan Week.
For one week, the entire Billie Jean King National Tennis Center opens to the public. Admission to the grounds is completely free (new for 2026, adults simply register for a free Fan Access Pass), creating one of the best values in sports while unlocking sponsor activations, experiences and giveaways.
Fan Week has quietly become a festival of its own.
Fan week is a case study in something I think every major live event should be thinking about: how do you make the event bigger than the event?
You can watch qualifying matches featuring tomorrow’s stars, catch player practices, wander sponsor activations, hear live music, grab iconic New York food, or buy tickets to marquee exhibitions featuring Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and the next generation of rising stars.
I was at the grounds a few weeks ago, and the USTA is feverishly working on upgrades across the site.
The retractable roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium was a game changer a few years back. Now the new hospitality vision, opening in 2027, feels like the next leap. The US Open has already become one of Labor Day Weekend’s hottest tickets. It’s about to become an even bigger entertainment and luxury destination.
More than one million fans attend over three weeks, making the US Open the largest annual sporting event in the United States.
What makes it unique is its version of accessible luxury.
You can get in for around $31, or you can spend thousands on premium hospitality. Very few sporting events offer that kind of range.
The audience reflects it.
Roughly half of attendees come from the New York tri-state area, while the rest travel from across the country and internationally. The average household income exceeds $262,000, attendees over-index on premium purchasing habits, and the audience slightly skews female. Fan Week attracts a few more families because of Kids’ Day, but the tournament as a whole has become a magnet for professionals who embrace the late-night matches and after-hours social culture.
The sport has also done an exceptional job building its next generation of stars.
After the Sampras and Agassi era came Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. Now the torch has passed again to Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Coco Gauff and a wave of young talent that gives the sport fresh energy for the next decade.
Netflix’s Break Point may not have created the same cultural explosion that Drive to Survive did for Formula 1, but it certainly didn’t hurt.
The timing couldn’t be better either.
The U.S. Open carries New York through Labor Day Weekend and flows directly into Fashion Week.
But what really makes the event special isn’t only the tennis.
Like Coachella. Like the Super Bowl. Like Formula 1. Like this summer’s World Cup.
The hero event is only part of the story.
The surrounding ecosystem is what creates the frenzy.
The parties.
The networking.
The hospitality.
The brand activations.
The product drops.
That’s what fans increasingly want. And that’s what transforms a sporting event into a cultural moment.
There’s a lesson here that goes far beyond tennis.
A third-party company can become an extension of the artist or event and help plus up the hero concert or experience. While writing this piece, I spoke with Ben Duvdevani from One More Time, who walked me through some of the innovation happening around VIP and meet-and-greets.
Think bespoke merch, soundcheck performances, traveling activations and dynamic pricing.
The main event creates the demand.
Everything around it creates the world.
Beyond that, I’ve become a big believer in the brandification of events. The more brands that authentically become part of the experience, the bigger the event becomes.
More touch points.
More stories.
More reasons to show up.
More reasons for people to care.
And more ways for the event to live far beyond the venue itself.
There isn’t an artist in the world bigger than OREO.
Think about it.
Billions of products on shelves.
Millions of points of distribution.
Hundreds of countries.
From gas stations to grocery stores, the reach is almost impossible to comprehend.
That’s the power of great brands.
And when great brands, great talent and great live experiences come together authentically, everybody gets bigger.
See you out there with a Honey Deuce in hand.
’Tis Open Season. 🎾
Musically yours,
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