A decision on whether to postpone or cancel the U.S. Open due to coronavirus pandemic is expected by June, the U.S. Tennis Association’s new CEO said Thursday, calling the prospect of holding the Grand Slam tournament without spectators “highly unlikely.”
“Obviously our ambition is to run the tournament. It’s the engine that drives our organization, our governing body. Having said that, that won’t be the driving factor,” Mike Dowse, who took over at the USTA on Jan. 1, said on a conference call with reporters. “The driving factor will be the health and well-being of the players, the fans and our staff.”
He stated the USTA is being advised by a medical advisory group that includes at least five doctors. “Time is on our side, at this point,” Dowse said, because the U.S. Open is not scheduled to start until late August.
The tournament in New York City would be the next major championship on the tennis calendar; the French Open’s start was postponed from May until September, and Wimbledon was canceled altogether.
The men’s and women’s tennis tours are on hold entirely until at least mid-July, and one tournament in August already has been discarded.
As for holding the U.S. Open with no fans, Dowse stated the USTA is “not taking anything off the table, but right now, I’d say that’s a highly unlikely scenario.”
Tennis tournaments, in general, are more dependent on ticket, merchandise and on-site food sales as a percentage of revenue than major professional sports leagues that are largely funded by TV contracts.
The total future support provided by the USTA and its industry partners – including economic assistance packages and a telephone hotline for those “emotionally impacted” by the pandemic – will be affected by the financial success of the 2020 U.S. Open, if it even is held.
