US Open Sees Record-Breaking Attendance, Viewership: USTA CCO

USTA Chief Commercial Officer Kirsten Corio joins Bloomberg Businessweek Daily to discuss the US Open's record-breaking 2025 ticket sales, customer demand and increasing ticket volume, the tournament's main revenue streams, and more.

Welcome back to The Forecast from Bloomberg Weekend, where we help you think about the future — from next week to next decade.

This week we’re looking at what the US Open can tell us about the future of sports. Plus, a political crisis in France, more AI jobs data and the unsung success story of rice.

But, first: Do I hear wedding bells, er, bets? We love a good prediction market here at The Forecast, so readers may enjoy Matt Levine’s recent newsletter about how Taylor Swift’s engagement played out on platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi.

The US Open Is the Future of Sports

Step onto the grounds of the US Open this week and tennis is far from the first thing you’ll see.

First there are the people — a lot of people, usually 70,000-plus a day. Then there are all the concession stands, whose offerings include a $100 box of chicken nuggets topped with caviar and a $23 Honey Deuce cocktail (which at least comes in a souvenir cup). Finally, nestled between the courts are myriad sponsor tie-ins, from the latest lineup of electric Cadillacs to complimentary skin checks courtesy of La Roche-Posay.

The US Open has always been about more than the game of tennis: It’s an iconic New York event that draws celebrities, socialites and hundreds of thousands of fans. But as the United States Tennis Association (USTA), which owns and operates the event, focuses on expanding its reach, the Open is getting further and further away from the sport itself. What used to be two weeks of tennis with a few jazzy extras has over the past eight years morphed into three weeks of on- and off-court entertainment — complete with silent discos, a reality dating series, multiple DJ sets and endless brand “activations.”

As private equity pours into sports leagues, and pro football and basketball franchises fetch record sums, investors and media partners are hunting for new sports to sell — from US soccer to women’s basketball to Formula 1 to UFC. Leagues, in turn, are rushing to grow their fan bases and demonstrate their profitability. But as they do so, they risk turning off — or pricing out — longtime fans.

The USTA says it’s still creating traditions for core tennis fans while following a broader sports trend: selling the event as much as the game. The upcoming Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas will look like a concert as much as a race, featuring artists including MGK and T-Pain. The Kentucky Derby is known for serving “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” but spans a full week of parties and galas, even offering fashion tips for opening night.

Tennis has surged in popularity since the pandemic, with about 26 million players in the US, and the USTA’s first chief growth officer has set a goal of 35 million by 2035. ESPN, which holds the broadcast rights for the US Open, sees expansion as “a rising tide that lifts all boats,” said Tim Bunnell, who leads the network’s global programming efforts in tennis, among other sports. “The bigger the event gets, it’s good for everyone.”

That’s not how some avid tennis players see it. Kay Krane, who’s attended the US Open since 1999, decided to skip this year’s tournament in large part because of its increasing commercialization. Instead, she bought a round-trip ticket to Cincinnati, where a smaller US Open warm-up still featured all the top players. “Overall, I paid more,” she said. “But I got more tennis.”

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