The US Open, which concludes this weekend in New York City, has drawn criticism for its high ticket prices, a topic on which hedge fund manager Bill Ackman and New York Mayor Zorhan Mamdani find rare common ground. Tickets for premium seats at the Arthur Ashe Stadium can reach thousands of dollars, while even the basic "grounds pass," which does not grant entry to the main stadium, has been selling for nearly $400. This pricing has raised concerns in the context of an economy increasingly described as "K-shaped," where affordability is a significant issue for many Americans.
The US Tennis Association (USTA), the tournament’s organizer and a charitable entity responsible for funding tennis development across the United States, has been under pressure to balance revenue generation with accessibility. Demand for tennis has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic, with approximately 27 million Americans playing the sport annually—about 9% of the population, up from 6% in 2019.
In 2024, the latest year with available financial data, the USTA reported a $72 million surplus. However, it has concurrently invested heavily in the tournament’s infrastructure, including a substantial expenditure—reported variously as $80 million and $800 million—on renovating Arthur Ashe Stadium, enhancing amenities and adding luxury seating options. Meanwhile, player compensation at the Open has also increased significantly, with prize money rising to $108 million in 2026, marking a 44% increase over two years.
Ticket sales are mediated in part by Ticketmaster, a LiveNation-owned broker handling both primary and secondary markets. The US Open allows ticket resales but has not imposed bans on reselling bots, which often purchase tickets immediately upon release. The USTA has stated that it receives only a small commission from resale transactions.
To mitigate concerns about high ticket costs, the USTA highlights initiatives such as free pre-tournament festivities and open access to the grounds during certain stages, including the women’s semi-finals, though entry to the matches themselves requires a ticket. New York City has also attempted to improve access by offering 1,000 discounted tickets; this offer attracted a queue exceeding 100,000 people.
Despite these efforts, finding a solution to the affordability challenge remains difficult. Suggestions like implementing a ticket lottery system exist but are viewed as heavy-handed measures. With only one US Open held annually and huge demand from fans eager to attend one of the sport’s premier events, the tournament faces a dynamic similar to that of New York City itself—managing a situation where the desire to participate far exceeds available capacity.