Cincinnati Open: Fan Zone

Client: Cincinnati Open

Event: Cincinnati Open 2025   

Activation: Fan Zone   

Location: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Ohio

The Brief:

To continue our long-standing relationship with the Cincinnati Open tournament team, the objective for the Fan Zone was focused on creating a vibrant hub that celebrated tennis by involving fans of all ages & abilities, enhancing fans event-day experience.

The Process:

Our design & production teams looked at how we could incorporate both physical & digital activations and touchpoints throughout the Fan Zone, to create a memorable impact for both the fans attending the tournament and the overarching perception of the ATP Tour event. It was also important for our team to consider how the Fan Zone would encourage fans to engage with the tournament both in person & online, bringing the fans closer to the action.

The Result:

Cincinnati Open Fan Zone: An engaging and interactive space allowing fans to pick up a racket, taking some time out from the action to relax, share some cool snaps on social media and even show their creative side!

Speed of Serve: Fans have three attempts to achieve their highest speed of serve, with the opportunity to be on the live digital leaderboard.

Multiball Tennis Simulator: A favourite from last year, we switched up the gameplay for fans where they had a choice of points based or arcade games. Targets would be shown on the screen where fans had to hit the ball at the screen.

Reaction Wall: As the targets light up, fans must hit them as quickly as possible to score points within 60 seconds.  

Rally Challenge: The ultimate tennis challenge – fans had to be consistent with this activation to continue the rally by hitting balls into the targets.

Mini Tennis Courts: In partnership with the USTA, the activation encouraged fans to get on the court and play, helping to grow the grass roots of the sport.  

Colouring & Signature Walls: Allowing for creative freedom, fans could include their unique stamp within the Fan Zone in celebration of the tournament.  

With another successful Fan Zone under our belts at the Cincinnati Open once again, the PVE team took some time out to reflect on the impact the activations had on both the fans and tournament, showcasing the power of interactive and fan first experiences. With thousands of fans welcomed, countless moments captured and shared, and collaborations with key partners, we delivered 2 weeks of nonstop tennis action! Find out more about our experiences here to discover how activations can transform your next event.