Attend The 2017 Arthur Ashe Kids Day Kick Off (Update)

Today, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced a star-studded lineup for the 2017 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day powered by Net Generation. The stadium show will feature live performances from Sofia Carson, star of Disney’s Descendants franchise, and global pop sensations Jack & Jack, along with singer-songwriter-musician Alex Aiono, and UK boy band New Hope Club. In addition to performing their hit singles, Sofia Carson and Alex Aiono will serve as co-hosts for this year’s show, which takes place Saturday, August 26th, 2017, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, NY, from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. The festival of tennis, music and fun honors the legacy of legendary pioneer Arthur Ashe and serves as the start of the 2017 US Open, which runs from August 28th – September 10th, 2017.

Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day will be the official launch of Net Generation, the USTA’s new approach to inspire the next generation of tennis players. For the first time, American tennis will have one unified youth brand for kids to get into the sports. Embracing all aspects of youth play for kids aged 5 – 18, the objective of Net Generation is to provide a kid-friendly, safe connection to the sport, while also serving as a platform to celebrate individuality and self-expression. Net Generation will make it easier for kids and their parents to learn about tennis and get into the game in schools, parks and tennis clubs across the country.

From 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., kids can try out Net Generation tennis during the free Grounds Festival at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, plus enjoy live music and other activities for families. The ticketed Stadium Show from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. features headline musical acts as well as top WTA and ATP World Tour pros in fun exhibition matches and skills competitions.

Stadium show tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster (1-866-OPEN-TIX), www.usopen.org and at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center box office. American Express is the official card of Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day. General admission promenade tickets cost $10 and loge tickets are $25. Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day will also broadcast nationally on ABC on Sunday, August 27, from 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. (ET).

“Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day is a fantastic way to pay tribute to Arthur Ashe,” said Gordon Smith, USTA Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer. “We’re thrilled to launch Net Generation––the largest youth initiative in the sports history––at this incredible event.”

For more than two decades, Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day has been a launching ground and showcase for artists such as Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Rihanna, Jonas Brothers, Fifth Harmony, Ne-Yo, Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and more.

This year’s lineup will feature:

Sofia Carson – Hollywood Records/Republic Records recording artist Sofia Carson is a multi-hyphenate force who has already earned a #1 album, with the chart-topping debut of the Descendants soundtrack, and has starred in four movies, with her fifth, Descendants 2 set premiere July 21 on ABC, Disney Channel, Lifetime, Disney XD and Freeform. Her loyal and vast fan-base (7 million followers on Instagram and 1.5 million likes on Facebook) continues to swell daily, and the budding talent received her first Teen Choice Award nomination last year for “Choice Music: Next Big Thing.” Her current hit, “Back To Beautiful” is the follow up to Sofia’s infectious debut single, “Love Is The Name,” which soared to the top of the Top 40 radio charts, and accumulated over 81 million video views.

Jack & Jack – Jack & Jack comprise two sides of a dynamic whole: Jack Johnson dexterously rapping and occasionally adding his own personal touch to the production, and Jack Gilinsky carrying stadium-size hooks and breaking hearts worldwide. With over 1.5 million singles moved and countless worldwide gigs sold out, the duo let both halves shine on their debut major label EP GONE via Island Records. The EP immediately hit the Top 10 iTunes Pop Chart in over 15 territories. Since emerging in 2013, Jack & Jack have quietly attracted one of the world’s most rabid audiences, encompassing over 30 million cumulative followers across social media platforms. They’ve shared the stage with superstars such as Fifth Harmony, Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, and many others. With extensive touring planned, Jack & Jack, dubbed “the future” by Timbaland, continually prove why they’re “two-of-a-kind.”

Alex Aiono – A 21-year-old singer/songwriter who plays a half-dozen instruments and first amassed a following of millions creating his own “flipped” versions of popular songs, including his “One Dance” mash-up which has gone on to amass more than 57 million views. Newly signed to Interscope Records, and in the midst of recording his first full-length album, Alex Aiono delivered his first official single “Work the Middle” earlier this year to great acclaim. The follow-up song “Question” is out now as Aiono kicks off his North American tour with Sabrina Carpenter. With his live shows, as well as 2.4 million Instagram followers, 5 million YouTube subscribers and over half a billion views, most impressive is how engaged Alex’s fan are with every song, image and post, finding refuge in his alluring energy.  Alex is currently on a 34-date summer tour across the US and Canada.

New Hope Club – Comprised of Northern England natives Blake Richardson, George Smith, and Reece Bibby, New Hope Club first bonded over their shared mission of making anthemic yet acoustic-guitar-driven pop music. Less than a year after that summer 2015 meeting, the band embarked on a European tour with The Vamps, playing to crowds of 10,000 a night. On their debut EP, Welcome To The Club, New Hope Club channel that energy into songs with sing-along-ready melody and richly textured guitar parts. Featuring all three members on vocals and guitar—with Reece playing bass as well—the EP builds off the bright and breezy pop of breakout single “Fixed” with elements of electronic music and R&B. Now out on their first North American tour with label-mate Sabrina Carpenter, New Hope Club are thriving on delivering unstoppable live shows.

The AAKD Grounds Festival will feature Net Generation tennis on 13 courts, and a wide range of interactive activities for children of all ages and skill levels including adidas Agility, Emirates Airline Beat the Pro, Get Fit and Play, IBM Speedzone, and Wilson Future Stars.

Additional activities include:

• AAKD Festival Stage powered by Radio Disney – the Grounds Festival’s free concert featuring up-and-coming musical talent including Saving Forever, Aja9, Summer Valentine and more to be announced. Hosted by Radio Disney!
• The US Open American Express Fan Experience – Step inside the US Open American Express Fan Experience for even more tennis fun! The Fan Experience is located in the Chase Center near the East Gate.
• Watch the Pros Practice – See tennis’s biggest stars up close as they prepare for the US Open. Public practices are featured on Louis Armstrong Stadium, Grandstand, Court 17 and Practice Courts 1-6.
• Also – Autographs, Face Painting, Juggling Workshop, Hair Beading and Braiding, Storytelling, Balloon Artists, Roving Entertainers and more!

Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day Powered by Net Generation is the largest single-day, grassroots tennis and entertainment event in the world. With chart-topping performers, celebrities and professional tennis players, the day helps to promote youth tennis and encourages children of all ages to develop healthy habits through fun activities.

For more information on Net Generation and Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, log on to www.NetGeneration.com and/or www.AAKD.com. To connect via social media, please “like” the official Facebook page facebook.com/ArthurAsheKidsDay and/or follow @AAKidsDay on Twitter and Instagram. In the event of inclement weather, ticket holders can log on to any of the sites listed above for the most up to date information.

Proceeds from Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day benefit the USTA Foundation which helps fund the National Junior Tennis & Learning Network (NJTL), a nationwide group of more than 500 nonprofit youth-development organizations that provide free or low-cost tennis, education and life-skills programming to more than 225,000 children each year, founded 48 years ago by Arthur Ashe, along with Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder.

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level — from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the US Open Series, linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships in addition to supporting tennis and education programs nationwide to benefit under-resourced youth through the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network.

For more information about the USTA, go to USTA.com or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.