Roland Garros is set to expand its fan experience to New York in 2026, alongside enhancements to its Paris facilities. The French Open aims to broaden its appeal and revenue streams by creating fan zones and capitalising on its existing assets.
New York Fan Zone and Parisian Enhancements
For the first time, Roland Garros will establish a fan zone in Manhattan. According to Arnaud Delaplace, the commercial director of the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), this initiative is part of a partnership with Warner Bros. The Manhattan fan zone will feature hospitality areas, entertainment, and partner stands.
In Paris, Roland Garros is planning to transform the jardin des Serres d’Auteuil into a ‘Jardin des Chefs’. This area will focus on gastronomy, potentially with dedicated ticketing. The aim is to associate the space with food and beverage companies.
Exploiting Untapped Potential
The FFT aims to boost revenue by developing underutilised spaces. The size constraints of the Roland Garros stadium in Paris necessitate creative solutions to optimise revenue. The fan zone at Place de la Concorde in central Paris will return in 2026, allowing people to experience the tournament outside the Porte d’Auteuil grounds.
Global Audience and Sponsorship Strategy
Roland Garros is the most watched tennis tournament globally, with 325 million television viewers in 2025. It accumulated 900 million hours of viewing time on television and over two billion views via social media. According to the commercial director, broadcast agreements and sponsors are key to international development.
Sponsors such as Accor, with its hotels decorated in the tournament’s colours worldwide, and Rolex, with its global advertising campaigns, play a crucial role. However, Roland Garros isn’t looking to increase the number of sponsors. The focus is on maintaining exclusivity and value for existing partners, offering them new ways to promote their brands.
The tournament has twenty sponsors. Roland Garros accounts for approximately 80% of the FFT’s revenue. In 2025, this was estimated to be between €350 and €360 million, an increase compared to €33 million in 2024.
Roland Garros continues to seek innovative ways to grow its brand and revenue. The tournament will celebrate its centenary in 2028.