Among the experiences, the US Open had a branded ice cream truck hitting all five boroughs ahead of the tournament. There will also be a free US Open Experience at Hudson Yards from Aug. 30 to Sept. 5.
Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, the Hudson Yards Experience allows viewers to watch ESPN coverage and enjoy perks like sipping on a Honey Deuce cocktail from 20-year partner Grey Goose or picking up a racquet to play tennis, with equipment provided by 48-year partner Wilson.
There will also be product sampling from partners, including 35-year partner Heineken, 5-year partner La Roche-Posay, and 12-year partner Lavazza coffee, and interactive experiences courtesy of new partner Peloton and 22-year partner Polo Ralph Lauren’s anamorphic tennis ball sculpture.
Online, fans can watch the tournament’s Rally the Boroughs show on YouTube, following teams of tennis enthusiasts racing across New York in a reality competition.
“[It’s] a really amazing opportunity for us to bring the US Open and tennis to fans who may not be coming out to the US Open,” Pownall said.
How the US Open is courting new fans and keeping things fresh
According to Pownall, the US Open is always looking to expand its footprint and improve on the year before, with planning for the next tournament happening immediately after this year’s event ends.
“The US Open is never the same tournament year-over-year, whether that’s the competition on the court or things that are happening on the ground,” Pownall said.
Heading into this year, one of the changes was moving Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day powered by Net Generation to Aug. 23, to kick off Fan Week. In addition, the US Open is revamping its Stars of the Open event presented by Chase, with young stars such as Flavio Cobolli and Alexandra Eala competing at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Aug. 27.
Meanwhile, the tournament is also expanding its digital presence to reach younger audiences with a new classroom gaming experience through health-focused gaming company Gwoop, a year-round presence in Fortnite, and experiences across Tennis Clash and Roblox.
“A number of our partners are engaging with these platforms as well, whether it’s Emirates as part of Roblox or user-generated content that’s sponsored by Polo Ralph Lauren,” Pownall said. “It’s a great access point for our partners to have visibility with this new demographic that’s associated with the US Open.”
See the US Open’s on-site sponsors here.
