The US Open takes place at the biggest tennis stadium in the world, Arthur Ashe, making it the biggest revenue generator. But this year the organizers have decided to cater to a corporate audience rather than regular hardcore tennis fans.

The tournament is set to begin on August 23, and the seats have already been sold out. The resale value of those tickets is on staggering figures, raising fresh questions about who these seats are actually for. 

The main draw starts on August 30, but the qualifying rounds, fan week, and US Open special mixed doubles start a week ago. Taking an example from that, Roger Federer’s one-off exhibition match on August 25, the five-time champion alongside 2003 US Open champion Andy Roddick, four-time champion John McEnroe and two-time champion Andre Agassi, is completely sold out. The USTA has presented this event as a “once-in-a-lifetime” night, and the face value seats were priced as low as $238. 

However, the resale prices have exploded, with finals’ ticket prices reaching $24,000 to $30,000 and official resale prices around $11,925 for each ticket. Men’s singles resale tickets are also extremely high, reportedly topping $20,921, and women’s singles final tickets priced at $5,885 face value, the day before the men’s final. Even tickets for the opening day of the main draw, in the upper tier of Arthur Ashe Stadium, have been listed on resale sites for over $400. 

Those numbers don’t sit well with the USTA’s own financials. In 2024, the total revenue reported by the governing body was $623.8 million, which included $559.6 million from the US Open, close to 90 percent of the total revenue. That leaves an operating profit of approximately $277.4 million after expenses of $282.2 million, on a tournament that lasts for only about three weeks.

Meanwhile, the USTA is planning to take on around $400 million in private debt to renovate its New York venue, and is even contemplating a new player performance facility with a total cost of up to $800 million. 

There is still some hope remaining for common tennis enthusiasts. The face value of ground passes is $65; show court tickets sell for under $200 for some of the sessions, and Ticketmaster offers entry-level tickets at $43 and Grandstand tickets at $180 for some of the sessions. The qualification round of Fan Week is free, and only an access pass is needed for the week. Even the lower-cost ground passes have been resold for more than $300, blocking all the ways for a budget-conscious fan. 

There’s a world of difference between the US Open and the other Grand Slams. The typical price of a second-week Center Court ticket at Wimbledon is around $300, and is not even close to the tickets that are sold in New York this year. With the prize money issue already being heated up between the players and Grand Slams, this increased revenue will further extend the debate over their revenue share.