The USTA announced that it sold 556,782 Honey Deuce signature cocktails during the 2024 U.S. Open. At $23 a pop, the organization made more than $12.8 million in revenue from the drink, representing a 26% increase over 2023.
Remarkably, more than one Honey Deuce was sold for every two people who visited Billie Jean King National Tennis Center during the tournament. That comes as no surprise, though, to anyone who left Arthur Ashe Stadium at 2 a.m. this year with souvenir cups strewn about the grounds.
The Honey Deuce, a Grey Goose vodka-based cocktail made with lemonade, Chambord (a raspberry liquor) and honeydew melon pieces shaped like tennis balls, has become synonymous with the U.S. Open fan experience over the past few years. The number of drinks purchased during the three weeks of the event nearly doubled from 2017 (201,000) to 2022 (399,000), and has continued to rise. The tournament has even begun selling Honey Deuce merchandise, including hats and shirts.
The Honey Deuce price has increased along with demand. Back in 2012, it cost just $14. The 64% price increase since then has far outpaced inflation, with the consumer price index rising only 37% during that span.
A significant factor in the sales increase is the number of fans that flooded Flushing, N.Y., this year. Main draw attendance reached a record 832,640, a 4% increase over the year prior and a 13% bump from the highest mark before the pandemic.
Attendance for Fan Week jumped 37% year-over-year to 216,000. The USTA has made the eight days before the main draw a greater focus coming out of COVID, and the exhibition matches, practice sessions, qualifying tournament and special entertainment events have subsequently grown in popularity.
All in all, 1.05 million fans came through the facility. Complaints of overcrowding arose, but the USTA’s bottom line will benefit. Total food and beverage sales were up 14% over 2023, while merchandise sales rose 20%.
The tennis governing body reported operating revenues of $581 million last year, $514 million of which were generated from the U.S. Open, meaning Honey Deuce sales should account for roughly 2% of revenue in 2024.
The tournament’s biggest revenue stream is tickets, followed by broadcasting (the USTA and ESPN recently announced an extension of their media relationship through 2037). Sponsorships make up the third largest slice of the Open’s revenue pie. Grey Goose is one of 24 official U.S. Open sponsors, and Moët & Chandon winery was also added for this year.
Approximately 70,000 tennis balls get used at the U.S. Open each year, but that pales compared to the 1.67 million honeydew balls that were served up in 2024.