Lew Sherr, the chief executive of the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA), is stepping down at the end of June to join the New York Mets as president of business operations.
Sherr, a veteran of sports business in New York who previously held senior positions at Madison Square Garden, recently unveiled an $800 million redesign of Arthur Ashe Stadium at the U.S. Open. The plans include additional hospitality space and a new player performance center.
Sherr won’t be going far: his new employers play at Citi Field in Flushing, across the 7 train’s tracks from the Billie Jean King Tennis Center.
He has also spearheaded an effort to revamp the elite player development program for U.S. players, after former leading figures in that program criticized cutbacks by the USTA following the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a recent interview, Sherr said the goal is to centralize the program, including the people who organize tournaments and those in charge of running national and regional camps for children.
During past two years, Sherr has also been part of efforts by the four biggest tournaments in tennis, the Grand Slams, to restructure the sport. That plan was dubbed the premium tour and would slim the tennis calendar to a schedule based around the majors and the next tier of events, the 1,000s (so named for the ranking points their winners get).
Those efforts have put him at odds with the leaders of the men’s and women’s tennis tours, the ATP and the WTA. The majors gained momentum early last year, but have since been stymied by the same inertia that has stalled previous efforts to streamline the sport.
Sherr took over the USTA in August of 2022 and had to carry out significant cuts after the organization went through the effects of staging the 2020 U.S. Open without spectators. The USTA has since recovered: attendance at the U.S. Open surpassed more than 1 million fans last year for the first time. Revenues from the tournament surpassed $500 million — revenues which the top players want to be shared more generously with them than they are currently.
“This is truly a bittersweet moment. Over the past 15 years, the USTA has been so much more than just a workplace — it has been a community, a purpose, and a passion,” Sherr said in a statement.
“While I will no longer be leading from within, I will always be cheering on the USTA and the work ahead. I’m immensely proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and even more excited to see where our talented team takes it next.”
After Sherr departs, USTA board chairman Brian Vahaly and chief operating officer Andrea Hirsch will serve as co-chief executives, while the organization conducts a search for its next leader.
Sherr replaces Scott Havens, who had been president of business operations at the Mets since 2023, and joins the team as they occupy second place in the National League East. Since purchasing the team in 2020, hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen has become one of the highest-spending owners in baseball. In December, the Mets signed outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract, the largest in professional sports history.
(Photo: Dustin Satloff / Getty Images)