It remains the best value in sports, and is still one of larger secrets, even in the shadow of New York.
It is the US Open qualifying tournament, the week-long celebration of tennis and sneak peek at those both in the main draw (and on site practicing each day) and those players battling point by point to get into the final field on the men’s and women’s side. The United States Tennis Association has even taken steps to make the week even more special with live music, kids events , and exhibitions with recently retired stars who still are great draws (John McEnroe, Kim Clijsters, Jim Courier and Rennae Stubbs playing competitive tennis under the roof at Louis Armstrong Stadium while it poured outside for an hour on a recent afternoon was just one example) as well as some great sampling opportunities for Open sponsors who are up and out early before the main draw (Lavazza and Heineken being two with swag and products this week for anyone on the grounds).
The most amazing part. It’s all free.
There was some talk a few years ago about charging a small fee with the money going to a good cause like the New York Junior Tennis League, but that was scrapped for now, and the week leading up to the Open draws as many as 6,000 or 5,000 on the grounds each day, making it arguably the fifth largest tennis tournament in the US (Behind the Open, Miami, Indian Wells and Cincinnati). For vendors willing to get out early and staffed up, revenue is to be had for concessions and merchandise; for those looking to do a little consumer dry run with a new product or staffing idea before the craziness of Monday comes (when there can be as many as 50,000 on site clamoring for stuff) it serves as a great testing ground for passionate fans. For those looking to get the kids out for some activity, or for those who may not be able to afford the Open, it is a phenomenal way to experience a first class facility and all its amenities at a cost never, ever seen in a major market.
For the USTA, expanding the opportunity of qualifying as an event has been amazing. The qualifying has to go on anyway, and staff are on site. Vendors are doing load in and practice is going on. The newly updated grounds are now big enough to have a wider volume of consumers on site, so why not open it up, and drive affinity for your core followers, and even more importantly, for legions of people looking to experience the Open, maybe for the first time, who may come back after such a positive and affordable sampling. It’s a brand and event expansion idea that is a great best practice for any sport.
Now are there shortcomings? Some minor ones of course. The once quiet practice grounds for players are now a bit more crowded, but players are not really inconvenienced, and the USTA still makes important practice the priority over spectacle. Some brand partners are still only focused on the two weeks of paying customers, so they may not view the week before as a worthwhile spend, and some buildouts are still being put together, but every year the window extends and you see more and more brands taking advantage of qualifying as a way to engage.
For the fan, it is not only a nice way to get a chance to see some stars and watch some fun and engaging tennis, it is a rare cost effective “look see” behind the curtain as to how the massive US Open as an event comes to life before it does. You want to go behind the scenes at Madison Square Garden, put down the dollars; you want to visit Yankee Stadium on an off day? Sure, sign up for a tour. You want to see and feel the grounds and the action of tennis in Flushing on a warm August Wednesday, come on out; it’s FREE!
As so much talk around the NFL revolves around the cost and lack of interest in exhibition games, and people complain over the rising cost of Spring Training events for MLB, it is interesting to see the great value the USTA has built with the use of a cost efficient platform that exposes fans from around the world of all ages to tennis on its biggest stage, for free. And for the content seeker, there is lots to engage around, with qualifying play as well. NBA teams and some MLB teams have looked to monetize and stream things like batting practice and pregame warmups as its own event; they should look to what the US Open does with qualifying; it is an event before the event with great value for all, and little downside in the way it is run.
The bad news for the tennis fan, or even the fan of everything and anything good about New York, is that qualies ends and then the massive scale and cost of the Open begins, a two week revenue generating and activation monster for brands that if it were a standalone team, would generate more dollars and attention than most teams do in an entire season, as the quaintness gives way to largess. But that’s OK because as standalone brand and awareness activation, few things can beat US Open Qualifying.
It is a rare view into professional sport that any fan can touch and feel if they choose; a model which many should look to and emulate if you want to forego some potential revenue for long term brand growth.
If you missed it this year, make it a point to wander out next August. It is worth the best trup for a best practice experience.
