Taste of Tennis Celebrates 25th Anniversary in NYC

Over the past quarter-century, Taste of Tennis has become the ultimate kick-off to tennis season in NYC, a vibrant fusion of sport, food, music, and culture. Last week, AYS Sports Marketing honored the tastemakers who helped shape their journey, while delivering fresh surprises and new experiences for its guests at this year’s Taste of Tennis at Aqua New York. 

New York Tennis Magazine sat down with Penny Lerner, the CEO of AYS Sports Marketing, to discuss the event’s history, and the excitement of celebrating 25 years. 

NYTM: With the event celebrating its 25th anniversary in New York this August, take me back to those early days of Taste of Tennis. What was the impetus behind creating an event like this, and how did the first one come to be?

Lerner: There was a small tennis tournament in Philadelphia, where we are based, called the Advanta Championships. They reached out to us, as a local marketing and events agency, to create a new player party for the tournament. They wanted an experience that players, fans, and sponsors would enjoy, and the media would cover. Our team huddled up to come up with a concept to address this and after a few days, we developed a concept called the International Taste of Tennis. It was a blend of food, signature cocktails and entertainment designed to celebrate the global appeal of the sport and its players. The event was really well received, so we trademarked the name and began strategizing about ways we could bring the event to other tennis markets. The next year, we hosted the event in New York City to kick off the US Open and the rest is history!

NYTM: What were those early years like? Was it difficult obtaining sponsors and getting players to commit? Take me through that process of getting word out about the event initially.

Lerner: We had strong relationships with a number of tennis players and industry insiders. We invited them to attend the event. These folks were the “influencers” of the day and really helped us spread the word about the event. The event became a big hit among the players who know it was a fun experience and they looked forward to attending each year. Once the word got out, tennis fans were eager to rub elbows with the top tennis stars, so ticket sales popped. The tennis fan demographic is so attractive, of course sponsors wanted to sample their products and engage with our guests and capitalize on the excitement of tennis in NYC. It was just a natural progression; secure the players, build the audience, attract the sponsors.

NYTM: What has changed over the years? How have you been able to maintain the integrity of the event while adding to it each year?

Lerner: The foundation of the event has remained largely intact. It’s always been a place for tennis fans, players and sponsors to get together before tournaments to enjoy an amazing night of great food and entertainment. And we really want to keep that part of it in place. Over the years we have added a number of new layers such as VIP hospitality experiences, customized digital content, and partnerships with tennis players. But at the end of the day, it’s really about creating an experience that players, fans and our partners can enjoy.

NYTM: Looking back, how proud are you of what you built?

Lerner: I couldn’t be more proud of what the event has become, and I couldn’t be more proud of the team behind it. What started out as a 200 person event in New York City has evolved into one of the most recognized brands in tennis. We have produced Taste of Tennis experiences across the globe and we have recently begun licensing the brand to exhibitions, tournaments and even hotels seeking to capitalize on our 25 year history and brand equity. Its been an incredible journey!

NYTM: How excited for this year’s 25th anniversary event in NYC? You have a new location. How will that change things for 2025, and do you have anything special planned to commemorate the anniversary?

Lerner: Every few years we select a new venue to keep the experience fresh and add new elements. This year, we are excited to host the event at Aqua New York, a new, beautifully designed venue with over 15,000 square feet of event space spread out over two floors. To celebrate our 25th Anniversary, we showcased the incredible list of tennis stars, celebrities and top chefs that have participated in the event through the years. And, as always, there were special appearances by some of the top players in the sport!