A 21-year-old ranked outside the top 15 does not usually spike ticket prices at a Grand Slam. But then came the Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala, who showed that she was an exception, and the figures at the US Open show that.
The price of entry for Tuesday’s match at Louis Armstrong Stadium shot up by 132 percent within a day, rising from less than $200 to almost $400, after it was confirmed that Alex Eala will face US qualifier Mary Stoiana at the stadium on Tuesday.
In no other session on the grounds of the tournament did such a surge occur. On the whole, the average price for the tickets to the US Open stands at $284, increasing by only 14.5 percent compared to the previous year, making the spike at Eala’s session quite unusual and definitely surprising the secondary ticket market.
That type of seeding is not very common for a 17th seed, but Eala’s performance over the past 12 months makes it clear that the organizers were willing to take a chance on her popularity. She recently won her first WTA title at the DC Open tournament, defeating Jessica Pegula, who is ranked third in the world.
But Eala modestly played down her success when queried about it before the upcoming tournament.
“At the forefront of everything is gratitude. I’m very grateful for the support that my fans give me and that my supporters give me,” Eala said in comments to reporters Friday at Flushing Meadows.
Whereas her modesty is quite different from what occurs every time she steps onto the court. Last year alone, more than 8,000 fans filled the Grandstand in watching her come back from being down 5-1 in the third set to defeat Denmark’s Clara Tauson in a dramatic 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (13-11) match while waving their Philippine flags.
Demand reached such an extent that city officials, along with the USTA, put out a unique set of 1,000 tickets for $100 exclusively to NYC residents. It is hoped that this will help to ensure that local fans are not priced out entirely due to resellers. It remains to be seen whether this helps in limiting the rise in resale of her other matches.
How Fans Reacted To The Ticket Price Surge
The reaction on social media polarized immediately after the numbers were revealed, with people condemning the premium as well as defending it as deserved. Everyone was citing different aspects of her meteoric rise this season.
“Overpriced! 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️,” one fan wrote.
This sentiment correlates well with the figures because, at this time last year, there were some quarterfinal tickets that cost less than this year’s non-seeded tickets.
On the other hand, another fan had an entirely different reaction: “best seats tomorrow night!! ALEX EALA LFGGG US Open!!! brrrrrrrrrr.”
This enthusiasm is consistent with her being put on Armstrong, which is the second-biggest stadium in the tournament. Seats for resale in this stadium currently range between $582.50 for back rows and $1,718.38 for courtside seats, prices usually charged for seeded favorites in the tournament.
“Cultural icon!,” read another comment.
She can definitely be described that way, considering how many members of New York’s Filipino community have rallied behind her matches, making even practice sessions standing-room-only affairs.
A user commented, “She should have an easy win R1.”
Such confidence in Eala is not misplaced because she comes to the event with a WTA first title and victories against two top ten players, namely Pegula and Swiatek.
“Ride the wave of her popularity. Business is business, after all,” was another reaction.
Referring straight to the organizers who booked her match into the 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium, an unusual step for a number 17 seed.
Whatever the fans’ opinion of this price increase as exploitation or just evidence of the rising popularity of Eala, the statistics don’t lie; her matches have become one of the biggest tickets at this year’s tournament.