As the Western & Southern Open approaches with a run date of Aug. 12-20, anticipation and excitement are at the forefront of emotions while change is upon the complex and event. With fans and their experience being a focal point in operations, Western & Southern Tournament Director Todd Martin visualizes a tournament full of fun, memories, and quality tennis.
Martin’s career as a tennis player gives him a unique insight and perspective into what creates a good tournament. The Western & Southern Open is one of the nine largest tennis tournaments in the world and one of only five events globally to host an ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournament at the same time in the same venue.
It starts with the unique identity of the tournament, which every major tournament has, Martin said.
“Our identity is community,” Martin said of the Western & Southern Open. “(Fans) don’t just go to the event, they’re passionate about the event, which is really difficult in our sport. To have that sense of community is really valuable.”
Engaging the fanbase for the Western & Southern Open
Martin expanded that building a passionate fanbase is more difficult than, say, FC Cincinnati, due to the fact that tennis is a constantly moving and evolving sport that doesn’t stay in one place. Despite this, Martin is proud of what’s been built in Southwest Ohio and strives to continue in an upward trend.
“There’s a lot of visibility, that intimacy (of the complex) is felt across the property, so that accessibility to the athlete is important to the fan and, for the most part, the player enjoys it as well,” Martin said. “If we don’t keep in perspective that the fan, both in person and on broadcast, is at the core of it all, then we’ve totally lost the plot.”
Martin and the Western & Southern Open have plans to engage the fans even more.
At the heart of the facility, a new asphalted area with large screens, new vendors, and entertainment is set to be a hub for fan engagement. Martin said there’s been a “dramatic investment” in the tournament that will benefit both the fans and the players as the tournament is soon set for expansion and exponential growth.
Ticket sales expectations and field announcement dates
Anticipated ticket sales range in the ballpark of 200,000 for the tournament, and, as of now, 30 percent of ticket sales have been to first-time purchasers. This number is higher than anticipated, and excites the Western & Southern Open that more people are coming to the event.
“I’m looking forward to coming out and seeing our sport enjoyed in so many different ways,” Martin said. “Cincinnati is the hub of the tennis wheel in the Midwest. That is not accidental … it’s a leader in the Midwest in large point to this event.”
The field is still ways away from being decided, and more info is yet to come out about the changes and upgrades around the facilities of the Western & Southern Open. There will be more updates on everything Jul. 20, including new partners, a look at the player field, fan improvements, and more.
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