Tylee’s first task is to develop the game in the US. But the US Open is also a huge part of his job, and as we enter the second week of the 2026 event, he may understand that the US Open has acquired an identity problem.
At one time, the US Open seemed like the most exciting place in the world. The late night tennis was exciting, the fans attended the matches, the smell of burgers was a unique part of things. But this year’s event seemed to show that the US Open is searching for an identity, unsure of exactly what it should be.
Over the past few years, the US Open has let more and more people through the gates, which is great. Last year saw a record attendance of $1.14 million over three weeks, including fan/qualifying week when tickets were free.
$340 for the basics on the first day
But for two weeks of main draw competition, things are incredibly expensive at the US Open. A week before the start of the US Open, there was some furor over ticket prices, especially with the underpasses, which fetched more than $340 on the resale market on the first day. The face value of those tickets is only $65, but fans, or perhaps bots and organized groups, immediately snapped them up and immediately resold them for more than five times the price. This is for a pass that costs £33 ($44) at Wimbledon, AUD49 ($35) at Melbourne and €39 ($45) at Roland Garros.
Unlike Australia, Great Britain and France, the US has no rules to restrict ticket resale, and in fact, the USTA undercuts the resale price, so they make a lot of money off of it. Amid the criticism, Tiley and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined forces to offer $1,000 tickets, which is fine, but only a first step.
Once inside, the prices are extortionate. The signature Honey Deuce vodka cocktail is actually the only thing that hasn’t gone up in recent years, staying at $23, but the food has skyrocketed. A warm pastrami roll/sandwich, for example, will set you back $30.
Weed, influences and a $30 pastrami roll/sandwich
A family of four, then, buying spaces at resale and then buying food and drink inside would likely run over $1,000 for the day. The obvious worry, then, is that middle-income families will pay to see US Open tennis.
If the tickets are the big problem, the tournament has caused many other problems, with the smell of weed tearing through the venue, competing with the behavior of several influencers and a number of late nights competing for headlines. Although fans are not allowed to smoke inside the venue, marijuana is legal in New York, so it will happen, especially since the venue is next to a large park.
This year, the tournament issued media credentials to 100 influencers, up from 54 last year, allowing them access to media rooms and press conferences, though they are not allowed to actually request an interview with a player. Many of those 100 have performed flawlessly, and the tournament clearly appreciates the large online audience they bring.
“A Little Zoo”
But other influencers, mostly invited by big brands, have drawn negative attention for not understanding tennis match etiquette, taking flash photos, taking selfies with phone lights while playing and generally not following the rules of etiquette. Some of them are not their fault. it’s at the US Open to give them guidelines, but the perception is that they’re not there for tennis, which isn’t great.
Adrian Mannarino said the US Open had become “a bit of a zoo”, while Naomi Osaka said influencers should do a bit of research before coming to tennis. Even Coco Gauff, who generally welcomed any additional interest in the game, had some advice for newcomers.
But like anywhere, anywhere you go, for example, if you’re invited to a red carpet, you’re not going to be seen in jeans.
“I definitely think it’s good to have a new demographic and I definitely think it helps grow the sport,” he said. “But like anywhere, anywhere you go, like if you’re invited to a red carpet, you’re not going to show up in jeans. I think it’s just following the etiquette of the sport. That’s it.”
In a press conference on the first day, Tiley said he envisions the US Open in future years to be like Disneyland. Having transformed the Australian Open, he would no doubt want to make the US Open the biggest and best event on the planet.
But while the row with players over prize money has subsided for now, largely because he increased it by 20 percent from last year and a record $108 million purse, he has some work to do on how the tournament is perceived.
The media facilities are in transition and should be much better in 2027, but this year the assembled press had to deal with substandard working conditions not befitting a US Open. During the first week, parts of the ceiling caved in, and even on-court photographers had to put up with a foul smell of sewage emanating from under the field, near their dugout and on one side near the players’ box. Throwing chemicals down the hole didn’t help. As said, everything will change next year.
The schedule has also been criticized, with six of the first seven nights ending well after midnight, including three after 2am and one ending at 1.55am. Late nights used to mean fun in New York, and some of the crowd was still late, but tennis is the only sport where the stars play into the wee hours, which hurts their efforts and everyone involved, from coaches to staff, ball boys to the media.
to strike a balance
The US Open has always led the way for equality and wants to ensure that men and women receive equal scores, so they are unlikely to move away from having one men’s and one women’s match during the night session. But as games continue to grow in length, they may try an earlier start time to get the job done in a reasonable hour. The odd 1am finish is normal, but when it becomes the norm, something is wrong.
The USTA’s job is to grow the game, and since most of its revenue comes from the US Open, it makes perfect sense that they should try to make as much money from it as possible. But they also have to consider the bigger picture: the longevity of the players, the experience of the fans and the people working at the event.
It’s a difficult balance to strike when profit has been the key for so long. A few simple changes could improve the experience, make the US Open more accessible and affordable, and a better day out. This is both an opportunity and a challenge for Tylee in the coming years.
