I’ve spent years visiting the BNP Paribas Open. It’s still ‘Tennis Paradise,’ but it’s no longer a hidden gem.

I’ve been going to the BNP Paribas Open for nearly 20 years; long enough to remember when it felt like tennis’s best-kept secret.

Set in the scenic California desert in Indian Wells, with top-notch facilities, the tournament has been voted the tennis players’ favorite of the year. It is often referred to as the “fifth slam” for being the biggest tournament outside the four majors. The intimate, more laid-back experience is unique, with fans able to get within shouting distance of Naomi Osaka or Aryna Sabalenka as they practice or stretch out on the idyllic grass lawn.

Unfortunately, the secret is out. Going to the tournament now is very different from how it was even a few years ago, as it has become more crowded and expensive, making it harder to see the biggest matches.

There is also a greater emphasis on luxury, with a “Charcuterie Champagne Lounge” featuring pours at $43 and a gourmet burger stand offering an ounce of caviar for $125.

The luxurification at Indian Wells reflects something bigger than one tournament’s glow-up. Tennis in the US is in the midst of a resurgence, with a record number of enthusiasts playing the sport, according to the USTA. Last year, the US Open drew more than a million fans to New York, blending intense competition with celebrity sightings, branded cocktails, and sky-high ticket prices.

Now, tournaments like the BNP Paribas Open are borrowing that playbook, betting that as interest in the sport grows beyond its traditional fan base, more spectators will pay up for a luxury, branded tennis event, even if it means longer lines and massive crowds.

As a huge tennis fan, I have mixed feelings about how much the tournament has changed.

On the one hand, it’s great to see this event thriving, after it struggled so much financially that it nearly decamped to China or the Middle East in 2010. Instead, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, then the fourth-richest man in the world, stepped in to save the day, with Tennis magazine calling him “the white knight of American tennis.”

I sat down with Ellison in 2011 after his big purchase, and he told me he considered it the best tournament money could buy (since Wimbledon will never be for sale).

“I couldn’t be happier,” Ellison told me. “I think it’s a wonderful asset. And I love tennis. I play tennis five days a week.”

Ellison invested more than $130 million in the facilities, building an 8,000-seat Stadium Two with a swanky Nobu to replace a rinky-dink grandstand.

As much as I enjoy indulging in Yellowtail Jalapeno, I miss the days when anyone with a grounds pass could access Stadium Two. This year, the tournament changed that policy. Only people who specifically bought tickets for Stadium Two, which could cost hundreds of dollars for the lower bowl, were allowed. Many seats remained empty at night as ticketholders grew tired of the desert sun and headed home.

Lines everywhere

A record 504,268 fans attended last year’s tournament, a number organizers expect to be exceeded this year. 58,828 fans passed through the gates last Friday, setting a new one-day record.

Walking around the grounds has been a test of patience, with long lines for parking, food, and getting seats.

Some of the longest lines over the weekend were not even for a match. When I walked by a Lululemon-sponsored BNP Paribas Open Pop Up, it was mobbed, with some fans complaining about waiting two hours only to find the store sold out of many items.

I was also curious to try the Drop Shot, BNP Paribas’ new, made-for-Instagram pineapple-flavored tequila cocktail, which it hopes will be as popular as the US Open’s Honey Deuce. But I didn’t feel like waiting in another line or paying $27 for a drink. I asked some fans for their review, and they said they were not impressed by the taste but were pleased with the souvenir cup they could take home.

To be fair, I had similar experiences with endless lines attending the US Open and the Championships at Wimbledon in recent years. However, the appeal of Indian Wells has always been that it is a hidden gem in the desert, where you can run into a star player walking to the gym or at the grocery store.

I will never forget seeing Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal compete on outer courts in doubles in 2014. I even got to eat in the players’ dining room as a member of the media and once found myself in line behind Novak Djokovic.

With the physical demands and prize money at stake in today’s singles game, you would never see Carlos Alcaraz or Jannik Sinner playing doubles, and I shudder to think how long the line would be if they appeared on a smaller court.

Still ‘Tennis Paradise?’

At this year’s tournament, there is ubiquitous signage reminding us we are in “Tennis Paradise,” a brilliant slogan chief marketing officer Philippe Dore came up with in 2016, as he was laying the groundwork for a post-Federer/Nadal era.

“We knew those GOATS were not going to be here forever, so we wanted to build an experience regardless of what happens on the competition side,” Dore told me. “We want people to come, whoever’s playing.”

It was hard not to agree that I was in Tennis Paradise as the sun set on Friday. The desert sky was turning brilliant shades of red while I sat a few rows behind Denis Shapovalov as he grinded out a three-set win against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.

Even with its new limitations, I would argue the grounds pass, which costs around $60, is still the best deal in sports. If you really want to get up close to Alcaraz and Sinner, it’s a thrill to watch them practice.

Surprisingly, the parking is still free. As I was walking to my car in the expansive grass overflow lot, I heard a woman say to her friend: “Yes, it was too crowded, but I’d rather focus on the stuff I enjoyed.”

I couldn’t agree more.