Charleston Open 2026: Fan Zone

Client: Charleston Open & Thorne

Location: Credit One Stadium, Charleston, South Carolina

Event: Charleston Open Tennis Tournament 2026

The Brief

For the fifth consecutive year, Provision Events partnered with the Charleston Open to deliver a large-scale tennis fan zone activation at one of the most prominent tournaments on the WTA calendar. With the event celebrated for its exceptional spectator experience, the aim for 2026 was to elevate fan engagement, refresh the activation lineup and integrate new interactive experiences that would appeal to fans of all ages.

Alongside the Fan Zone, the Provision Events team also delivered a premium branded stand for Thorne, showcasing their product range and adding a strong lifestyle element to the event footprint.

The Process

With four years of proven delivery behind us, the 2026 approach was built on a winning process while introducing two major new headline activations designed to increase dwell time and enhance the overall interactive fan experience.

The Fan Zone included six activations in total:

Umpire Challenge

A new immersive experience allowing fans to take the umpire’s seat and make real-time match decisions.

Sign the Lens

Inspired by iconic tennis broadcast moments, this new activation allowed visitors to sign a camera-style lens, giving every fan a personalised and highly shareable moment.

Speed of Serve

A long-running favourite where attendees tested their power across three serve attempts, consistently drawing strong crowds.

Reaction Wall

A fast, competitive challenge where players hit illuminated targets, blending fitness, fun and quick reflexes.

Multiball Challenge

An interactive simulator offering points-based and arcade-style tennis gameplay, ideal for families and groups.

Ball Kid Challenge

A skill-based activation replicating the focus and precision of professional ball crew roles.

The layout was designed to optimise visitor flow, improve accessibility and encourage repeat engagement. High-visibility branding and clearly defined zones supported this as well as the overall event atmosphere, contributing to steady engagement across all nine days of the tournament.

The Result

Across the duration of the 2026 tournament, the Fan Zone welcomed over 24,000 engaged visitors, reinforcing its role as one of the most popular spectator areas on site. The introduction of Umpire Challenge and Sign the Lens successfully refreshed the experience, attracting new participants while maintaining strong interest in returning favourites such as Speed of Serve and Reaction Wall.

The dedicated Thorne stand added a premium, lifestyle-led element to the footprint, offering product interaction opportunities and strengthening the brand’s connection with health-focused tennis audiences.