As sports rights-holders compete for cultural cachet, the Australian Open has gone on tour across the U.S.

"We festivalized the sport. We made a conscious decision to expand [the Australian Open] far beyond a tennis event - make it about an experience, make it about entertainment. In our first year, we had over 80 bands over the course of two weeks. It's now extended to a three-week event. We added food: the gastronomic experience in Melbourne is pretty awesome, probably among the best in the world. This year, we're adding a beauty and wellness pillar."

"Over the last decade, Australian Open CEO Craig Tiley has worked hard to take the first tennis grand slam event of the year from another stop on the tennis circuit to a "bucket list event," by taking control of both media production and the cultural circus that surrounds the sport. The Australian Open is now the best-attended of tennis's major events and produces other tournaments, such as the Laver Cup."

Sports rights-holders increasingly attract tastemakers and trendsetters, drawing broadcaster payments and commercial sponsorship by offering access to mass, engaged, often affluent audiences. The Australian Open transformed into a festival-like experience under Craig Tiley, who centralized media production and built a cultural program to make attendance a "bucket list" moment. The event expanded to three weeks with live music, extensive food offerings and a new beauty and wellness pillar. The Open became the best-attended major and now produces events like the Laver Cup. The tournament also stages wild-card matches and fan activations across the U.S. to encourage American attendance.

Read at Digiday