The price of tickets for the US Open was a huge talking point in the build-up to the tournament, with the re-sale market offering tickets for staggering sums of money to the final Grand Slam of the year.
Official ticket re-sale sites are offering tickets in excess of $30,000 for the men’s final, sparking claims that fans are being priced out of attending the Flushing Meadows tournament.
Of course, the face value ticket price is nothing like the extravagant fees that have created so many headlines, with former US Open champion Andy Roddick among those criticising reporters who have claimed tournament organisers are fleecing fans for huge sums of cash.
It is not just ticket prices that have caused a stir at this year’s US Open as the staggering cost of food inside the Billie Jean Tennis Centre gates has also created some interest.
A hot pastrami sandwich is on sale for a whopping $30, with a corned beef or turkey breast sandwich at $29 and a portion of chips is at $9.95.
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If you want to buy a US Open towel, they are on offer at $50 and if you want a glass of the tournament’s famous Honey Deuce drink, that’s at $23.
In 2025, fans consumed 738,459 Honey Deuces and the drink alone generated more than $17 million in sales.
This year, 8,000 cases of honeydew melons have made it to New York and they are being snapped up by fans and corporate guests who are paying huge sums to watch the action on court.
The USTA is expected to generate in excess of $600m in income, with the Fan Week prior to the start of the main draw adding to the revenue.
And much of the profits from the event are now going to players, after USTA chiefs announced a substantial boost in prize money heading into this year’s tournament.
The total prize money available to players is $108m (£80m), which is 20% more than the 2025 tournament – making it not just the largest-ever US Open prize pot, but the largest in Grand Slam history.
One area the USTA cannot be absolved of blame for is the rising presence of influencers at the US Open, with reports suggesting some of them are being paid to produce content during the tournament looking at food, and merchandise scenes as it is about on-court play.
Play was stopped on Arthur Ashe Stadium court on Tuesday evening as a corporate box packed with influencers were using a ring light to create content while a point was being played and the umpire had to ask them to turn it off.
Images have also appeared on social media platforms highlighting tennis fans showing their disdain for ‘influencers’ screaming and yelling during points and this is nothing new.
Tennis365 were in attendance at Wimbledon in July, with the rising presence of influencers strutting and pouting at the side of courts in a bid to create content that will, in theory, boost the profile of the tournament.
In reality, they are probably boosting their own influencer lifestyles and tennis fans have every right to complain about their presence at the biggest tournaments in tennis.
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