Yesterday the United States Tennis Association cut about 20% of its workforce—110 jobs—and announced that it will close its national headquarters in White Plains, N.Y. The organization had already been planning to restructure for several years, but more rapid change was needed in order to significantly cut costs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
The biggest challenge for the USTA, though, may come in late August. Unlike Wimbledon, which was canceled, and the French Open, which has been moved to September, the U.S. Open is still scheduled to start at Flushing Meadows in Queens, N.Y., on Aug. 24. In recent days, the world’s top two male tennis players, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, and the No. 1 women’s player, Ashleigh Barty, have questioned the safety and realism of running the tournament in 2020.
The U.S. Open brings in more than $300 million in revenue to the USTA (although the event incurs expenses of more than $100 million). If the event runs this year, it will likely be played without fans, and that may significantly impact revenue. But not having the Open might put the organization in an impossible situation.
