US Open: How to save on US Open Tickets, Meals, Souvenirs (Part 2 of 3)

How to avoid overpriced items at the US Open

I know that each time I come back to the US Open, it seems like EVERYTHING is more expensive*

A: How to Save on Tennis Tickets, Meals, Souvenirs

As full disclosure for my personal opinion and review, I do not get paid a DIME by USTA nor the US Open to write my reviews. Big sporting events like to price-gouge unsuspecting tourists, so read this first before spending money at the US Open.

Read US Open Preview: new stadium layout and Ashe roof. Our first-hand accounts of the US Open and new things to check out (Part 1 of 3)

I am just like you, an annual ticket member and paying patron fan that buys US Open and US Open Shop products every year. We literally pay their USTA and US Open salary but sometimes we the fans get treated like unwelcome guests?!

US Open will rob you blind if you let them...

"Robin Hood of Tennis" - Tennis-Bargains
Maybe it is because I take pride in helping you all save money on US Open tickets and get more value from them. It seems that USTA and particularly the Media Credential staff are particular prejudice toward anyone who may cut into their corporate bottom line.


Ticket Upsell if you buy at the box office
From personal experience, I was once a Mini-Plan holder. Now, every year they even try to charge me too much for US Open ticket plans every year if I ever want to renew - NO THANKS and please stop calling! Used car salesman tactics don't work with me.

The box office and ticket booth staff are offering the exact same deals as online. Nothing special there - I found out you cannot even get Loge seats the first year you buy a FULL Plan!

Instead on TicketExchange you can get those same qualities Loge seats instantly. Example: I just found one $150 Loge Ticket for Labor Day (Row B!) on 9/1/16. Let the other ticket subscribers make the mistake, not you. Learn from us.

Check prices FIRST at TicketExchange for last minute deals!

Sold by Fans to Fans.  Cut out the Box Office...the ticket counter and sales reps there are not your friends when they try to sell you the worst seats at the highest prices. Don't let them get away with it!

Compared to them who offer no useful tips/info about where to sit, and they get paid a salary to rip fans off?? No thanks.

• Check out our 2-for-1 US Open Ticket Specials instead.
• Find great Amex Card Member US Open Specials *before* they are sold to the general public.
• Check prices for US Open resell market tickets

Reference: https://wallethub.com/blog/us-open-tennis-stats/5935/

How to Save Money on Food and Beverages at US Open

Ummm - don't buy inside unless desperate or need to lighten your wallet?

Drink Prices: $3.50 for water to $12 beer.
Tip: You're allowed to bring factory-sealed beverages in (or just an empty plastic clear water bottle to refill at one of the many fountains near the restrooms).

Food and Beverages are wayyyy over-priced - eat outside instead!

Restaurant chains galore

Friendly Fan Tip: Subscribe to Tennis Bargains Tips

$17+ Crepes this year! Wow, and it's Not even a full meal.

I saw Many ball kids are getting pizza from Neapolitan. So maybe that's an ok try?

Typical US Open Food and Prices! I got an over-priced and under-cooked chicken*
Tip: Save $5.50, Bring in a sealed plastic bottle (Water or Gatorade)

Instead, I recommend going just outside the East Gates.
$9 for a whole meal! Great Eats! Much cheaper*

Check out the tennis practice courts
while enjoying your Wings!

US Open Souvenirs - Buy online right AFTER the US Open.  50%+ Off*

I know, I know...it's tempting, right? I need to buy something for my friend/family member back home. Hint: don't buy the junk and the hype. Unless it's really quality stuff, you can get it much cheaper online. Plus you have to lug it around everywhere.

Better yet, just wait a little bit after the US Open is over and they sell the clothes/hats/etc at pennies to the dollar...50%+ off every year.

If you have to shop, and rather not carry all of it around. Get it at USOpenShop.com with promo code USTAM344 to save $15 off $50.

Yeah it used to be a straight $15 OFF but USTA is greedy like that after I started ordering towels for $5 net :-P Probably if I didn't share the code as a referral, I could have kept using it.

Oh well, better to give than to receive :)

US Open Grandstand: Opening Day Preview and Swag

US Open - Full Fan Preview & Grandstand Map

After 3 days at the US Open this weekend, I wanted to share my tips and findings with all the US Open tennis fans from around the world. Should give you an idea of what to expect*

Millions of fans will be attending this year in NYC or following it online and on TV.
Our goal is to make your experience fun, safe, and most importantly a good value.

Personal Weekend Experience and Opinions:
Two days of Qualifiers plus Arthur Ashe Kids Day. I witnessed a lot of new things while they were on my preview tour of the grounds at Flushing Meadows.

• ATP and WTA Player Pictures of the US Open
• Best US Open swag and freebies

The Good - Great New Venue and Sponsor Freebies

*NEW*: Our Insider's Instagram - US Open Grandstand Map is now on Instagram
- FOLLOW US for Secret TIPS and info about this new stadium!

Grandstand Court - US Open Map Guide

Grandstand Lounge - hidden secret on the far side
Access up the stairs. Turn LEFT after you pass the SMART car booth

New 2016 US Open Grandstand Court - most-shaded seats looking towards Ashe

Bonus: New Grandstand Stadium

Absolutely gorgeous architecture and a facility designed by Rossetti Architecture.

The flow of the tennis campus now draws crowds in more of a circular path, but bottlenecks still occur at the food court pavilion and effectively isolate Court 17 as it is in the opposite corner from everything else.

A few tricks to save yourself time and sweat: Walk *behind* the new Grandstand stadium area. Stick to the paths at the South edge and West Edge. There is a "secret" back entrance along the South side of the Grandstand...with lounge seating and a private bathroom if you go all the way up to the top of the Grandstand. This is where most of the ESPN crew go to use it. It's like a private little hotel up there.

Also, another optimal and shaded path you can take is between the P1-P5 courts and cut through to see the new Grandstand.

Summary

1) Good = New Grandstand Stadium and Ashe Roof. Great Weather. Lots of Tennis.

2) Bad = HIGH Food Prices. Still not Tech Savvy. Lack of Easy Info.

3) Ugly = US Open Staff Service (not everyone) - a few rotten apples in the big apple...more later

Best Perks of US Open Freebies

Free US Open Game Ball. My favorite tennis souvenir.
Tip: Go early morning to find them next to the practice courts!

All USTA members can pick up this cooling towel FREE!

Get your free US Open art poster
Just show them your pre-sale ticket.

Free Fan! Visit Orlando = Fan Friendly

Go inside the American Express Private Lounge
Amex Card gets you upstairs for Beverages and Snacks :)

US Open: The Ugly side of the US Open - what to avoid!

Tip: Look for the Good and the beware Bad.

WALL OF SHAME

Check this out: Mr. Clueless Fan with the flip flops.

CHALLENGE: Can you name 3 things wrong with the picture below??

*The Clueless Fan* (yes, I know we've all seen them before...)
Here's a funny one fan who come into the US Open with complete disregard for his fellow fans.




Surplus of bad US Open Jobs
If you work at the USTA membership booth, I expect you to be able to find my USTA number quicker than I could by simply looking up Gmail.

If you run the bathrooms, please do not be sitting in there, watching video on your cell phone while charging and just pretend to stand in the doorway with a trash can in the way to try to block people from entering.

If you are an usher, be a good docent and guide of Tennis. Just by telling people to leave and yelling at kids like a Soup Nazi isn't your whole job. From the Sound of it, you don't enjoy it. Well, let me say there are lots of other people who would be happy to do your job instead - step aside.

When I'm ordering my food at the food court, do you really need 3 cashiers standing around who cannot figure out how to turn on one cash register? How about you give me just 1 single competent cashier.

NYTimes Article: Where the $ Millions of US Open Really Going?

State of (In)-Security: Contracted Hoodlums

Rising prices for USTA annual memberships and organizational member fees I pay do not seem to be recruiting any talented USTA staff. Most of them are not-tech-savvy at all and who have NO CLUE about marketing. Yet annually, the US Open spends $12+ Million on marketing expenses!

In fact, I usually see 2x-3x more USTA staff just standing around than doing actual work. That includes in the bathrooms, staff, ushers, security and guest service folks who actually will snatch money out of your hands when you're going through the bag check area.

Be careful with your possessions! Even the US Open staff cannot be trusted to be professional (more on this later...part 3 of the Ugly).

One of many Bullies working for Guest Services at US Open this year. Probably not getting paid enough, so has resulted in several instances of staff reportedly taking bribes and stealing at access control points around the stadium. This one was at the East Gate near the NTC.

Gregory Y. Rabener, 40 Cheslan Ct, Oceanside NY:
"This is MY property now...I may or may not give it back to you..."
After refusing to return my property pass, money and paper receipts stuck to my daily access media wrist band.

Guest Services Employee "Randi" warned by ATP ref 3 times! Stop walking during play at Court 17.
Not sure where they hire these "guest service" employees from.
If you don't know tennis etiquette - find another job you bum!

US Open staff hiding at the back of Grandstand and Court 8.
Again, you see these Staff sitting around or sleeping (on the right) at important checkpoints.
Zero accountability by the supervisors who let this behavior happen daily!

Big question to US Open: Where are the Supervisors?!

What are they doing to fix this? Worst they have many of them just sitting around to collect a paycheck. I recommend hiring competent staff / reduce the numbers of redundant positions. Or find volunteers who *love tennis* as they do at the Cincy Open and do a better job for FREE than most US Open paid employees.

Several times there are Ushers who know little or nothing about tennis. They simply stand there giving fans the evil eye all day long - especially those working in the P1-P5 areas. Occasionally at P5 there were some helpful ones that could actually identify the player playing and offer helpful suggestions. I tried to do this for a few fans who came up to me: "who's famous here"? I pointed out Monica Puig (Gold Medalist for Women's Doubles). Unfortunately, the Usher standing there was surprised as the young fan who asked the question. Let's get some knowledgeable

Don't be rude, know that we see you hiding there...
I want to highlight the staffers who are going the extra mile. But for those who are treating my fans with disrespect - I have no patience. Not even in NYC, there's no excuse to be rude and unprofessional at an important tennis event shared by the world.

In my book, you don't get away with being a jerk or stealing patron's hard earned money. Period.