YouTube Trends & Insights from the 2024 US Open

YouTube Reigns as US Open Content Hub

The US Open continues to be the most-watched tennis event in the US, and YouTube has become a critical arena for fan engagement, highlights, and storytelling. Looking back at last year’s tournament, several major themes emerged around how fans consumed and interacted with US Open content online.

Key Takeaways:

• Massive Growth: US Open YouTube viewership has grown nearly 18x since 2020, and 27% YoY, proving it as a core destination for fans around the country.
• Official Channel Dominance: The US Open channel, which grew 30x since 2020 itself, generated the majority of views. And with only 24% of these views happening during the US Open, we see a growing demand for year-round storytelling
• Beyond the Court: YouTube-native series like Game, Set, Matchmaker on the US Open channel expanded the tournament’s reach to younger and lifestyle-oriented audiences.
• Highlights Win: Quick recaps and highlight reels were the top-performing video formats, proving fans crave fast, shareable content.
• Player-Driven Demand: Search spikes centered on specific players and matches, underscoring the power of athlete-led storytelling.
• Future Opportunities: Optimizing for snackable highlights, discovery, and cultural storytelling will drive even stronger engagement in 2025.

Explosive Growth in Digital Viewership

Since 2020, US Open content on YouTube has grown nearly 30x, marking a seismic shift in how audiences prefer to watch tennis. While broadcast still dominates live match coverage, fans are increasingly turning to digital platforms for recaps, highlights, and player-focused content.

The Official Channel as the Engagement Powerhouse

Data confirms that the US Open’s official YouTube channel is the undisputed centerpiece of tournament coverage, generating 513M tournament related views in 2024. Interestingly though, only about a quarter (24%) of the US Open channel’s annual views occurred during the tournament window, signaling the growing year-round demand for tennis storytelling on YouTube. Other top channels of US Open viewership included Eurosport Tennis, Eurosport France, TENNIS TALK with Cam Williams, United States Tennis Association (USTA), Tennis TV, and The Laver Cup.  

Fans Crave Highlights & Fast Recaps

The most-viewed videos in 2024 were overwhelmingly highlight compilations and quick-turn recaps. For example, when Iga Swiatek hit a super-charged spin return against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Round 3 of the 2024 event, the 12 second highlight garnered over 51M views. Or when Jannik Sinner completely fell over in the 2024 semifinals, and still managed to win the point. From intense five-set finishers to emotional player moments, these bite-sized summaries dominated the charts.

This trend underscores the demand for immediacy and accessibility. During the 2024 tournament, watch intent is dominated with queries coalescing around “highlights” and “live/stream” (e.g., us open highlights, us open 2024 highlights). Viewers want to live or relive the action quickly and share it with others, highlighting the tournament’s most viral asset. Longer-form storytelling had its place, but the data proves that snackable content is the currency of YouTube tennis fandom.

Search Behavior: Players Drive the Conversation

Search activity around the US Open spiked dramatically during the tournament, with watch intent at the center of most queries. Fans weren’t just searching for “US Open highlights” – they were typing specific player names paired with match moments, emphasizing how player personalities fuel viewership.

Rising queries clustered around breakout stars and dramatic upsets, showing that search interest was driven as much by player narratives as by the tournament itself.

Expanding Beyond the Court with YouTube Originals

One of the most intriguing trends is the US Open’s push to expand its cultural footprint through YouTube-native storytelling. Series like Game, Set, Matchmaker introduced a lifestyle-driven lens on the sport, appealing to younger, more diverse audiences who may not be core tennis viewers.

This strategy signals a shift: the US Open isn’t just showcasing athletic performance; it’s crafting a multifaceted narrative universe where tennis intersects with culture, humor, and digital-first formats.

In summary, the 2024 US Open proved that YouTube isn’t just a secondary channel for fans – it’s a primary arena of engagement where highlights, personalities, and culture converge. With growth showing no signs of slowing, the coming years offer a powerful opportunity to further innovate in short-form storytelling, player-led narratives, and digital-native experiences.

2025 and Beyond: Key Advertiser Takeaways

• Prioritize Snackable Highlights in Ad Creative: Fans drove massive viewership of short, high-impact clips (e.g., Swiatek’s 12-second rally at 51M views). Advertisers should build 6–15 second ad spots designed to run against or resemble these snackable highlight moments.
  
• Think Year-Round, Not Just September: Only 24% of the US Open channel’s annual views happened during the tournament window. Advertisers who activate before, during, and after the event – with hype, recap, and off-season storytelling – will capture the 76% of fan attention happening the rest of the year that they might otherwise miss out on.
  
• Align With Player-Driven Narratives: Search behavior shows fans chase players and their moments (e.g., Sinner’s stumble-and-win rally). Advertisers should integrate star athletes into creative, sponsor highlight packages, or adapt messaging dynamically to spotlight breakout names.
  
• Expand Beyond the Court Into Culture: With YouTube Originals like Game, Set, Matchmaker, the US Open proved that fans engage with tennis as lifestyle entertainment. Brands can reach younger and more diverse audiences by sponsoring or integrating into off-court and cultural content.
  

Design Ads That Ride Virality: Viral clips spread when they’re funny, dramatic, or emotional—and fans share them far beyond tennis circles. Advertisers should lean into creative hooks (humor, drama, surprise) that make branded content more shareable alongside highlights.