Overview
- The USTA has approved close to 100 content-creator credentials for 2026, almost doubling the 54 credentialed in the program’s 2025 debut.
- New credential categories include social-media teams from traditional outlets and podcasters, and roughly 15 to 20 creators have been hired to produce content on the tournament’s behalf.
- The USTA credits creator-driven material with more than 5.5 million engagements and growth of its owned accounts to about 3.1 billion interactions, and it has launched a YouTube series called "Rally the Boroughs."
- Some fans have publicly criticized the expansion, arguing that giving creators courtside seats, media-zone access, and backstage passes reduces opportunities for paying spectators as ticket and resale prices rise.
- The program, started in 2025 as a way to broaden reach, mirrors a wider trend among majors and could heighten political pressure on ticket allocation and fan relations during the tournament.