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USTA Comes Under Fire After Controversial $800 Million US Open Announcement

An $800 million investment is usually good news. This time, the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA) multi-million dollar US Open decision has not exactly gone down well.

On the one hand, interest in the New York Slam has soared. On the other, more than a few concerns have been voiced over prevalent issues that have long since been brushed under the carpet, issues that include bumping up the prize money kitty and the stratospheric ticket prices for live matches.

Fans have also made sure to highlight other unaddressed issues in American tennis, not least of them being a decline in focus at the grassroots level.

USTA’s $800 Million US Open Transformation Announcement Faced Criticism From Fans

According to the update, the USTA plans to modernize Arthur Ashe Stadium by introducing newly designed retail and dining spaces and expanding the promenade-level concourse by 40%. The upgrades will also prioritize improved accessibility, with additional escalators, elevators, and enhanced restroom access.

The new $250 million Player Performance Center will offer world-class amenities for players and their teams. It will feature the finest indoor and outdoor training areas and dedicated spaces for recovery and relaxation. Additionally, the project will be completed in three phases and finished by the 2027 US Open, with no changes to matches or fan access during the 2025 and 2026 editions.

While the announcement marks a major step forward for the US Open, some fans were critical. Many pointed to the need for higher Grand Slam pay, an issue also raised by Emma Navarro and Jessica Pegula recently. It should be noted that top 10 players from the WTA and the ATP recently sent a letter to all Grand Slams to address the issue.

A fan argued that if the investment was made possible due to the players’ efforts, they deserve more than the reported 15% share.

“If I’m the players, in the current context, my first question is: “If you have this much money to spend because of our work, you need to pay us a lot more than 15% or so of revenues,” they said.

“But you don’t have money to pay the players who help generate that money,” a fan echoed.

“Players need to ask for more share indeed 😆. For everyone, including the slam qualifiers, itf, Challengers,” a fan commented.

A fan criticized the update, suggesting the money should support grassroots tennis or be used to compensate lower-ranked players better. Multiple American universities have shut down their tennis programs in recent times, resulting in backlash.

“How about investing more into growing the sport like Italy is doing with money they make from the Tour Finals, NextGen Finals, etc,” a fan suggested.

“Nobody wastes more money than the USTA at their horrible venue,” a fan wrote.

Meanwhile, one fan criticized the USTA’s scheduling choices writing: “If the USTA really wanted to grow the sport of tennis in US, there is no way they would have the mens final opposite the NFL And Thursday evening week 2 is opposite Eagles/Cowboys College football is starting also! Common sense is to avoid getting placed into irrelevancy in US,” they commented.

Reaction to USTA's US Open Investment
Reaction to USTA’s US Open Investment

Several fans also voiced concerns over the increasing ticket prices at the US Open, with one saying: “Hopefully this plan includes something about ticket prices and scalpers. USO is by far the most expensive slam.”

“Can they just lower ticket prices?” One asked.

However, some fans even acknowledged the move but questioned how the USTA would balance affordability with improved facilities and experiences.

Some Other Major Steps Taken Under USTA’s New Project

With this substantial investment, the USTA aims to transform and modernize the US Open’s centerpiece, Arthur Ashe Stadium, along with the broader Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

The transformation, set for completion by 2027, also includes a striking new Grand Entrance, an expanded courtside-level bowl with 2,000 additional seats, and two new levels of luxury suites.

ROSSETTI, the architectural design and planning firm that also oversaw the transformation of Arthur Ashe Stadium in 2018, is leading the project.

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