Coco Gauff credited for surge in US Open ticket prices and sales, joins Taylor Swift and Beyonce in dominating events economy in 2023
Coco Gauff has been credited with significantly boosting the economy of the women's event at the 2023 US Open.
Gauff recorded her most successful season on tour in 2023, winning four titles, including her first WTA 500 and WTA 1000 titles, as well as her maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open. With an impressive record of 51 wins and 16 losses, she achieved a year-end ranking of World No. 3.
The impact of her success was evident in ticket exchange and resale company StubHub's year-end report, which detailed how women dominated the event's economy this year.
Despite male sporting events like the World Series, Formula One and Lionel Messi's participation in Major League Soccer leading overall sales, women's sports claimed a larger portion of the market this year.
Coco Gauff was credited with driving up ticket prices for women's matches at this year's edition of the New York Major. Moreover, while sales for the US Open women's final had shot up by 30%, they surged by an additional 20% overnight after Gauff had secured a place in the final.
StubHub spokesperson Adam Budelli said that women's sports were on the "come up," with sales doubling for the National Women's Soccer League and more than doubling for the Women's National Basketball Association.
While Budelli said that it's tough to predict the future growth of women's sports, he expressed confidence that the momentum will continue without slowing down.
"It’s hard to predict, but we don't anticipate that that will slow anytime soon," he said (via Yahoo!).
Beyond sports, women dominated the landscape of live music events, with Taylor Swift, Beyonce, P!NK and Adele contributing to 73% of total sales among the top 10 global touring artists in 2023.
"Watching Coco Gauff win the US Open wasn’t the real emotional part, it was watching her hug her dad at the end" - Christopher Eubanks
Christopher Eubanks recently admitted to tearing up after Coco Gauff's victory at the US Open. However, he revealed that his emotional response wasn't triggered by her victory but rather by her rushing to embrace her father after her triumph.
"I actually cried a little bit," Eubanks said on Tennis Channel's Inside-In podcast. "Watching her (Coco Gauff) win wasn’t the real emotional part. It was watching her hug her dad at the end that really got me and you could see."
"I know Cory and Coco so well, I know what, you know I have an idea of what they’ve kinda been through to get to that point so to see them have that embrace, and I’m sitting in front of the TV, and I can’t believe it, and when she runs into his arms and they hug each other, I said oh man and it started coming out," he added.
Eubanks also shared that he had messaged the 19-year-old and explained the emotional impact that moment had on him.
"I sent her a message, listen I don’t usually cry like that. You and your dad made me cry. Like that was a really really cool moment for me to see," he said.
Coco Gauff kicks off her 2024 season with a title defense at the WTA 250 ASB Classic in New Zealand. She will join a star-studded lineup, featuring the likes of Emma Raducanu, Amanda Anisimova and Caroline Wozniacki.