1. Think Beyond the Main Event
Tennis is the reason people buy tickets.
The experiences are the reason they come back.
Fan Week.
Hospitality.
Food.
Music.
Brand activations.
The biggest events become ecosystems—not moments.
2. Expand the Calendar
The smartest way to grow isn’t always finding more fans.Sometimes it’s creating more moments.
The USTA turned a two-week tournament into a three-week destination.
More days.
More stories.
More sponsors.
More revenue.
3. Build Tomorrow’s Stars Today
For years, the qualifying tournament was an insider’s secret.
Now it’s one of the most valuable weeks on the calendar.
The USTA didn’t hide tomorrow’s stars.
They gave them a stage.
The music industry should think the same way.
4. Participation Beats Spectating
Fans don’t just want to watch anymore.
They want to participate.
Practice courts.
Player appearances.
Interactive games.
Sponsor experiences.
The future belongs to experiences people can join—not just consume.
5. Accessible Luxury Wins
One fan buys a $30 grounds pass.
Another spends thousands on hospitality.
Both leave feeling like they experienced the US Open.
The best events don’t choose between premium and scale.
They build for both.
6. Community Is the Product
People come for tennis.
They stay for friends.
Clients.
Dates.
Networking.
Culture.
The best events become annual reunions.
7. Brands Should Add Value
I’ve become a big believer in the brandification of events.
The best partnerships don’t interrupt the experience.
They improve it.
When brands create something fans actually enjoy, everyone wins.
8. Think Bigger Than the Stage
There isn’t an artist in the world bigger than Oreo.
Billions of products.
Millions of stores.
Hundreds of countries.
Great brands don’t chase culture.
They become part of it.
That’s the opportunity.
See you at the US Open.
Honey Deuce in hand.
To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
