Get All Access for $5/mo

The Entrepreneurs Running the U.S. Open A look behind the scenes at the big businesses behind the premier tournament in tennis.

By Dan Bova

Cesarin Mateo/USTA

Millions of people have tuned in to watch the sometimes inspiring and sometimes heartbreaking ups and downs of superstars like Nadal, Federer, Williams and Osaka, and more than 700,00 walked through the gates of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center to see the action live and in person at the 2019 U.S. Open.

That's a lot of mouths to feed and eyeballs to entertain. The U.S. Open is by no means a small operation, requiring both amazing feats of physicality on the court and amazing feats of business acumen.

As Lew Sherr, chief revenue officer of the USTA, told Entrepreneur, "Our fans are on-site for eight to nine hours, and tennis is only part of the experience. We pride ourselves on amazing dining options developed by the most well-known chefs, fantastic shopping including dedicated Polo Ralph Lauren stores [and] engaging sponsor activations ⁠— and, of course, no visit to the Open would be complete without sampling the Grey Goose Honey Deuce."

Here are some of the most inventive (and tasty) activations we saw from businesses large and small.

Grey Goose

Photo credit: Fernando Colon/USTA

The Grey Goose® Honey Deuce continued its winning streak as the signature cocktail of the US Open. Follow

(Instagram: @GreyGoose | Facebook: @GreyGoose | Twitter: @GreyGoose)

IHG Hotels & Resorts

Photo credit: USTA

Approximately 2,000 guests experienced their "digital daydream," which provided a "sensory encounter" with a travel property. Visitors selected their desired destination while a massage therapist provided a cooling towel infused with property-inspired scents.

(Instagram: @IHG | Facebook: @IHG | Twitter: @IHG)

Kim Crawford Wine Bars

Photo credit: MarkSwallow | Getty Images

It's the official wine of the U.S. Open. Of the tens of thousands of glasses poured, pinot grigio was the most popular.

(Instagram: @KimCrawfordWine | Facebook: @KimCrawfordWines)

Lavazza

Photo credit: USTA

Lavazza provided refreshment and caffeine infusions for fans in the stands with its cold brew bar at the Lavazza Café in the Food Village. Lavazza has been bringing its black gold to the U.S. Open since 2015.

(Instagram: @LavazzaUSA | Facebook: @LavazzaUSA | Twitter: @LavazzaUSA)

Polo Ralph Lauren

Photo credit: Brian Friedman/USTA

The 2019 US Open ballperson polos, shorts and skorts provided by Polo Ralph Lauren were made from recycled materials. Each uniform is made from approximately 10 recycled plastic bottles.

(Instagram: @PoloRalphLauren | Facebook: @RalphLauren | Twitter: @RalphLauren)

Wilson

Photo credit: Tim Clayton - Corbis | Getty Images

The racquet stringers at the U.S. Open stopped using plastic bags to wrap the 5,300-plus racquets strung during the three weeks of the event, and all of the used racquet strings — more than 35 miles' worth — are being recycled.

(Instagram: @WilsonTennis | Facebook: @WilsonTennis | Twitter: @WilsonTennis)

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Operations & Logistics

The Holidays Mean Vacation Time — But Disaster Can Still Strike. Is Your Crisis Plan Ready?

Holidays mean different working hours for companies and different schedules for employees that take off. Before you and your team enjoy some much deserved time off, it is important to put a crisis management plan in place so your business is ready to tackle any issue that crops up.

Business News

Here's What the CPI Report Means for Your Wallet, According to JPMorgan and EY Experts

Most experts agree that there will be another rate cut next week.

Business Solutions

Right Now, You Can Get More Than 310 Hours of IT Training for Just $50

Stay ahead in tech with the CompTIA Super Bundle.

Leadership

3 Ways Your Parenting Skills Can Improve Your Leadership Skills

Parenting and management offer valuable lessons in identifying talent, nurturing potential and fostering growth through encouragement and guidance.

Starting a Business

How to Start a Freight Brokerage Business

Get your entrepreneurial destiny really moving by becoming a broker--matching shippers and transportation servicess--for the freight industry.