Responsible for their own expenses, tennis players at this year's U.S. Open have "discovered a way to subsidize and earn money from their sleep, striking deals with hotels to mention where they are staying in social media, and sometimes making other appearances, in exchange for free rooms and discounts," according to Ben Rothenberg of the N.Y. TIMES. Social media is the "primary avenue for promotion, with players often required to post how much they are enjoying their stay." In addition, several N.Y. hotels "put out news releases" naming players who are "staying within their walls." O2 Management CEO Fabien Paget has "arranged hotel partnerships for many players." Paget said that he is "working with eight to 10 hotels this year, helping them find a way to connect themselves to the excitement of the U.S. Open without being an official tournament sponsor." Paget: "They can engage and create content through an athlete who plays the tournament." The most star-studded hotel event this year was a "badminton exhibition" at the Lotte New York Palace, including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios. Paget said hotels will “try not to overcommunicate” the location of a player. He added that many hotels also have "alternative entrances where players can come and go without interacting with the public." TLA WorldWide VP/Talent Marketing John Tobias said that the "typical deal requires two to three social media posts, with arrival and departure usually being fixed occasions for them." He added that usually there were "limits on the types of players who could snag these deals." Tobias: "You’ve got to be a reasonably highly marketable player, or they’re not going to be interested. They’ll take a look at your social media following to see if the type of audience you have is even worth it" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/3).
