Influencers with ring lights disrupted a US Open match between Naomi Osaka and Anastasia Zakharova badly enough that the umpire stopped play and issued repeated warnings. Other creators were requesting full-flash photos from USTA staff courtside during live points.
The USTA nearly doubled its content creator credentials this year. USTA media operations director Jeanmarie Daly announced the expansion last month. The result was predictable: more bodies, more gear, less regard for the sport those credentials were issued to cover.
The full piece is worth reading for what it reveals about how sports organizations are trading competitive integrity for social reach, and where that calculation starts to visibly break down.
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