Arthur Ashe Stadium Top Level View?

[myservenow]

Anyone that has gone to the Open and sat in the top level: what is the view like that far up? Is it too far up to bother with or can you actually still see the ball and follow the action from up top?

 

[Homeboy Hotel]

It's awful, you can 'view the view' from their virtual seating plan here...

http://usopen.io-media.com/

 

[papertank]

Unless you can get a pretty good Loge seat you'd be better off just watching Ashe on TV. You can watch just as enthralling tennis much closer up on the other courts.

 

[ollinger]

The view from up there has always been horrendous, and it makes even less sense to be up there as TVs grow ever larger and clearer. The few times I've been up there we were able to move down to better seats by greasing the usher's palm with a twenty each.

 

[myservenow]

I figured as much but have never been to the Open. I got a wildhair and am tempted to drive 11 hours for the possible Nadal-Federer quarterfinal, but can't believe the absurd prices for Loge or better seating. 300 level is almost as ridiculously priced, but it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see these two play at the US Open. I'm guessing I'll pass and just watch at home. Thanks for the tips.

 

[newpball]

Like this:

:grin:

 

[myservenow]

Like this:

:grin:

That is the exact picture that popped up when I hit the "Virtual View" button. Excellent.

 

[CoachSubway]

Ashe was clearly built with making money in mind, first, and viewing experience second. It's so far up in the upper deck that you can walk freely between points. it's like watching ants play tennis. I'd rather watch from home or even on the big screen outside Ashe.

 

[slowfox]

Ah... if only they all could be like Wimbledon.

 

[bigserving]

I have been to the top row at AA and it is high, but not too high. It is certainly a different experience from other events. You can barely hear the ball come off of the racquets but you can hear the player grunts. You can have a normal conversation during play without bothering the players and there is conversation at all time up in the AA heights.

Ashe is big, but not too big. There are always people sitting in the uppers for the big matches.

There is nothing like being at a match live. TV never captures the speed of the ball, players, or the match. Being there is always better than watching tennis on TV.

 

[Chico]

Bring binoculars and you should be OK

 

[Tennis_Monk]

for a first timer, those top row seats arent bad. Once you have seen the matches from close quarters, thats when it really sucks to be back up there.
I guess they couldnt go any higher in seats with Ashe. Any more, they would be under limits of Federal Aviation Authority.
In my experience, people hop around court and dont just stick with Ashe unless they have a marquee match going on.

Bottom line is that top row Ashe tickets are a decent option to watching top players and having a grounds pass.

 

[miraq]

AA top

I watched the end of the Murray match and the start of the Serena - Sloane match in row Q section 317 today in AA today, great place for a snooze, nice cool breeze, totally out of my range to really enjoy the tennis though.

 

[MTF07]

I had lodge seats when I went last night, section 112. That's a pretty good view. I don't know if I could do the nosebleed sections anymore. I still paid over double the face value ($102 FV) for my tickets. I wish I knew how to purchase tickets directly from the tournament.

 

[Tshooter]

Check it out. I've done it for countless matches over the years and it still makes me laugh. Bring some image stabilized binocs. Whomever designed it hated tennis fans.

 

[Roger Wawrinka]

It's pretty high up there!

 

[t135]

Total waste of time and money. Better to watch on TV

 

[myservenow]

I think if I carried through with the impulse, totally irrational 11 hour drive to see Federer and Nadal play AND experience the U.S. Open for probably the only time in my life, I would rather not have to duck for airplanes.

If I lived closer, I might go just for the heck of it, sit up there and enjoy the atmosphere. I have been to the Cincy tournament and usually sit in the lower section so I am somewhat spoiled.

And, I live near the U of Tennessee. They have a 25,000 seat basketball arena. On occasion I go to the very top row and imagine I am in Arthur Ashe watching tennis just for the perspective. It isn't something I think I'd enjoy. Plus, I get really light headed up that high. AA looks very similar to that bball arena seat-wise.

 

[objectivity]

Anyone that has gone to the Open and sat in the top level: what is the view like that far up? Is it too far up to bother with or can you actually still see the ball and follow the action from up top?

its great. i was there just now, and you can catch the action well. i caught murray and serena. still great action. and we still caught some fantastic action shots with our SLR and telescopic lens. for 100 bucks a tix, its really a great deal.

 

[Tshooter]

its great. i was there just now, and you can catch the action well. i caught murray and serena. still great action. and we still caught some fantastic action shots with our SLR and telescopic lens. for 100 bucks a tix, its really a great deal.

Oh give me a break. It's by a wide margin the worst court in all of tennis. A joke relative to the other stadium courts of the Majors. You could not be more disconnected from the match. You want to sit up in the promenade and have a beer, sure. I've done it and enjoyed it. But please dont' tell someone contemplating an 11 hour drive and that has never been that "you can catch the action well." You are in no way, shape or form "part of the action" up there.

 

[sabala]

On court interview with Novak tonight he said he can't even see the people up at the top of the stadium - but he could hear them. I wouldn't spend money for seats up there - do they at least have a big screen you can watch while you're up there??

 

[Tshooter]

On court interview with Novak tonight he said he can't even see the people up at the top of the stadium - but he could hear them. I wouldn't spend money for seats up there - do they at least have a big screen you can watch while you're up there??

They have a large screen at the top on each baseline. But it is not for viewing during points. It is for the score, for replaying points between points or changeovers and for picking people out of the crowd during changeovers to watch them attempt to "dance" to the music.

Onsite, you can rent (I think they said they had about 1,000 units) for free with a CC deposit a device that enables you watch various courts. But I don't really get watching a match on a tiny screen when you are there to watch it live.

 

[Goosehead]

tell them you are pam shriver and they will give you a microphone and an access all areas pass..

you will be able to watch fed/rafa courtside and talk really loudly in a flat nasal droning voice and get on everyone's nerves.

 

[Nostradamus]

Anyone that has gone to the Open and sat in the top level: what is the view like that far up? Is it too far up to bother with or can you actually still see the ball and follow the action from up top?

100-300 dollars for just below the top level ?? What kind of Ripoff is this ??

 

[newpball]

100-300 dollars for just below the top level ?? What kind of Ripoff is this ??

I think that is indeed a ripoff.

Also all the really good seats are 'reserved' for people who don't pay a single dime for it as they are all for 'special interest' things like businesses, buddies, insiders, people who know someone who knows someone else etc. And then often half of those seats stay empty while the honest self paying fan has to pay ridiculous amounts for far worse seats. Another great tennis tradition I suppose.

 

[millicurie999]

Oh give me a break. It's by a wide margin the worst court in all of tennis. A joke relative to the other stadium courts of the Majors. You could not be more disconnected from the match. You want to sit up in the promenade and have a beer, sure. I've done it and enjoyed it. But please dont' tell someone contemplating an 11 hour drive and that has never been that "you can catch the action well." You are in no way, shape or form "part of the action" up there.

Completely agreed. To think his ID is "Objectivity" is truly ironic.

 

[tmc5005]

Its pretty bad but in the early rounds it is easy to at least move to the front row of the upper section. I would not waste money on the semis or finals on that level. In the earlier rounds you can also move to the other courts.

 

[Overdrive]

The only time I would go to NY is to visit the USO with good tickets.

No way in hell I would sit in the nose bleed seats (in any sporting event). Why would anyone do this?

 

[newton296]

I actually sat at the top row for 1 match and it was one of those things I vowed would never happen again. this article pretty much sums it up . worse tennis venue in just every measure you can think of. fans hate it, players hate it, even tv viewers hate it.

http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2002/08/ashe_heap.html

 

[Aretium]

I enjoy the smaller courts at wimbledon than centre. You need to get really good tickets but even on centre you are usually too far back. Much better to see top 125 players from 2 metres than top 10 from 50.

The only thing the big courts have are atmosphere.

 

[TimeToPlaySets]

I was tempted to go see Coco/Osaka and then King KYrgios but Ashe is not worth it.
Upper is like $150
Lodge is $400.
Can't justify $400 to watch tennis.
That's 8 lessons