"Every August, the US Open rolls into Queens with its ever-expanding rituals of consumption. Fans don't just buy in, they perform it: the $23 Honey Deuce held aloft for Instagram, the $40 lobster roll posted before the first serve, the $100 caviar-topped chicken nuggets bought as much for the flex as the flavor. The tennis has never been the cheapest day out, but lately the sticker shock feel less like a barrier than the point."
"In what seems like a remarkably short time, New York's major has become less sporting event than aspirational brand. The final grand slam tournament of the season, which concludes Sunday with a mouth-watering men's final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, has never completely shied from its tony roots as part of the New York social season, but its latest evolution has taken it past a major sporting event into a festival economy."
"That libation, once just a cute themed lemonade and vodka in a souvenir cup, has mutated into an inflation-defying fetish object with its own merch line. Entire kiosks now sell Honey Deuce shirts and trucker hats in pastel colorways, so you can broadcast your melon-ball allegiance long after the hard-won hangover fades. It's less a drink than a franchise, an alcoholic Funko Pop, proof that you didn't just attend the Open: you consumed it, posted it, stacked it, wore it"
The US Open has morphed into a festival economy where consumption and personal branding are central. Fans perform attendance by purchasing and posting expensive items like the $23 Honey Deuce, $40 lobster rolls, and $100 caviar-topped chicken nuggets. Influencer blocs, branded merch, and courtside social moments now function as primary attractions alongside tennis highlights. The event leverages souvenir cups, themed apparel, and kiosks to extend consumption into identity signals. High prices serve as status markers rather than barriers. The tennis remains present with dramatic matches, but spectacle, luxury pricing, and social-media visibility shape the modern Open experience.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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