The U.S. Open might look like 2 weeks of tennis in New York. In reality, it has become one of the biggest commercial events in global sport.
The money around the tournament keeps getting bigger. The 2026 U.S. Open will pay a record $108 million in total player compensation, up 20% from 2025 and 44% in 2 years. The singles champions will each earn $5.5 million, the largest winner’s cheque in Grand Slam history.
Behind this growth is a business constantly finding new ways to make the event more valuable. Arthur Ashe Stadium is being rebuilt around more premium seating and hospitality. Fan Week is becoming an event in its own right. Food, merchandise, creators and experiences are giving fans more reasons to spend before, during and after the tennis.
These are all parts of the same strategy: bring more people into the U.S. Open, keep them engaged for longer and create more ways to earn from one of the most valuable audiences in sport.
365247 Sports breaks down the business of the U.S. Open, how the USTA is growing the tournament and why its economics now stretch far beyond 2 weeks of tennis.