2019 U.S Open Case Study

VISION

The USTA was looking to add another level of luxury to their already illustrious event by opening two premium hospitality lounges, The Overlook and 1968 Room. Servicing over 600 patrons per session, these hospitality packages included access to an all-inclusive indoor/outdoor lounge, as well as premium seating in Arthur Ashe Stadium. Eight weeks before the start of the 2018 US Open, the USTA engaged Legends to aid in selling through remaining inventory and lay the foundation for a successful 2019 sales campaign.

PROJECT

The Legends Global Sales Team developed an overall sales and marketing plan for the USTA and the US Open’s premium hospitality business. This included:

• Strategy and execution of hospitality ticket package sales
• Sales execution for luxury suites
• Creating a renewal strategy for an existing base of clients

To shine a spotlight on the new hospitality areas and available luxury suite inventory, the team leveraged the US Open’s long history of past buyers and associated ticket analytics to effectively build awareness and market the new options. They launched a successful marketing campaign that included targeted emails, social media and paid advertisements, providing incremental revenue and furthering outreach outside of the NY metropolitan area. To navigate a challenging price increase in luxury suites, they built relationships with clients to provide better customer service and address specific needs.

RESULTS

Prior to opening day for the 2019 U.S. Open tournament, the dedicated Legends sales team was able to generate over $7.5 million in contractually obligated income. This result led to providing over a 19% increase in overall suite sales revenue for prior U.S. Open tournaments, as well as selling over 1,500 hospitality packages that accounted for 26% of all hospitality-related sales.