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BNP Paribas Open Ball Crew

Get up close to the greatest tennis stars in the world and become an integral part of the BNP Paribas Open family by training to be a part of our Ball Crew!

Are you interested in sharing the court with tennis superstars like Jannik Sinner, Iga Swiatek, Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and more? Apply to join the BNP Paribas Open Ball Crew this March to play an integral role in supporting the amazing on-court action at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden for the 2027 BNP Paribas Open!

The 2027 BNP Paribas Open is set to take place from February 28-March 14, and we are looking for motivated individuals between the ages of 13 and 35 to apply to join the Ball Crew and be an integral part of the team in Tennis Paradise this spring.

BNP Paribas Open Ball Crew team members receive an official photo tournament credential, which allows entry to the Indian Wells Tennis Garden throughout the entire tournament, and each member is provided with the official Ball Crew uniform. Ball Crew members receive a meal allowance for every shift covered and receive two grounds pass tickets for each day of the tournament, which can be given to family and friends.


How do I become a BNP Paribas Open Ball Crew?

All new and returning Level 1 BNP Paribas Open Ball Crew members must attend and pass a tryout before being selected for the team and participating in training.

  • Registration opens for new Ball Crew (who passed tryouts): September 14, 2026
  • Tryout registration opens: June 1, 2026
  • Returning Ball Crew registration opens: August 24, 2026

Tryouts will be held in Southern California mid-August through mid-September.

  • August 22, 2026 – San Diego, CA
  • August 23, 2026 – Dana Point, CA
  • August 29-30, 2026 – Malibu, CA
  • September 12-13, 2026 – Indian Wells, CA

A Ball Crew Manual is available and must be read prior to attending the in-person try-out. Once a ball crew passes the in-person try-out, they will need to complete the in-person ball crew training.


Before applying, please read all of the 2027 BNP Paribas Open Ball Crew requirements listed below.

Age Requirements

Ball Crew members must be between the ages of 13 and 35 by the first day of the tournament . (Proof of age is required).

Physical Requirements

Ball Crew members must be physically capable of performing up to a two-hour continuous session on court as part of a six-hour shift. The normal session is one-hour on court followed by a one-hour rest period.

Participation Requirements for New and Second-Year BNP Paribas Ball Crew:
  1. Register: Click on the “Register” button to be directed to our registration site (once available). Create an account on our registration site. Verify your email, and click to apply for the 2027 tournament. If you already have an account, log into your account, please do not create a new one, use the “password reset” button, if needed. Once your application is approved, you will receive an email to log back in and complete the application steps. The application steps include signing the waivers, downloading and reading the Ball Crew Manual, watching the training videos and passing the Ball Crew quiz. It is an open-book quiz, you can reference the manual.
  2. Shifts: Complete a minimum of six (6) shifts during the two-week tournament. You will be allowed to sign up for shifts through our online scheduling software, once your registration is complete. This will allow you to make travel arrangements.
    • You will be required to complete three (3) shifts during the first 5 days of the tournament.  Once you have signed up for the required shifts, weekend shifts will be available to you. This will be monitored.
    • Two consecutive shifts may be taken on the same day.
    • Quarter Final, Semi Final and Final shifts are by invitation only based on performance during the week.
  3. Training: Sign up for training through our online scheduling software and complete a minimum of 10-12 hours of training or 2 boot camp training days. Our objective is to be sure that you are “Tournament Ready”. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee “Tournament Ready” status in 10-12 hours of training because it is based on your performance. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you start your training early to ensure that you complete all of the training necessary before tournament day. The Ball Crew Chairs will determine when you have reached that goal.
  4. Orientation/Uniform Distribution: Attend one (1) Orientation / uniform distribution offered Friday, February 26, 2027 from 5pm-8pm and Saturday, February 27, 2027 from 9am-12pm. Orientation is an open window of time, but please arrive with enough time to complete all the tasks. At orientation, Ball Crew will meet with Coordinators, go over rules and expectations, take a tour of the facility, receive and try on the uniform to make sure everything fits properly, and pick up their credential. Orientation and the tour are for Ball Crew only. Parents can drop off their ball crew off Miles Ave, gate 7.
Participation Requirements for Ball Crew Members With More than 2 Years of BNP Paribas Experience
  1. Register: Log into your account on our registration site and apply for the 2027 tournament. Registration is required each year. Once your application is approved, you will receive an email to log back in and complete the application steps. The application steps include signing the waivers, downloading and reading the Ball Crew Manual, watching the training videos, and passing the Ball Crew quiz. It is an open-book quiz, you can reference the manual.
  2. Shifts: Sign up and complete a minimum of six (6) shifts during the two-week tournament. You will be allowed to sign up for shifts on our online scheduling software, once your registration is complete. This will allow you to make travel arrangements.
    • You can start your shifts on Friday, March 5, 2027.
    • Two consecutive shifts may be taken on the same day.
    • Quarter Final, Semi Final and Final shifts are by invitation only based on performance during the first week.
  3. Training: Complete a minimum of 4 hours of yearly refresher training or 1 day of Boot Camp. Training sessions will be offered at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and out-of-area locations.
  4. Orientation/Uniform Distribution: You are welcome to attend one of the orientation/uniform distributions offered Friday, February 26, 2027 from 5pm-8pm and Saturday, February 27 from 9am-12pm or if you are arriving later, you can pick up your uniform before your first shift.
Waivers

Complete the necessary online waivers posted on the registration site.

Pre-Tournament Training

Read the 2027 BNP Ball Crew Manual and pass the online Ball Crew Quiz. (It is an open-book quiz). Watch the training videos that demonstrate our on-court procedures. Both the Ball Crew manual and videos are posted on the registration website.

Training Requirements

New and second-year Ball Crew applications are required to complete a minimum of 10-12 hours of training. Our objective is to be sure that you are “Tournament Ready”. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee “Tournament Ready” status in 10-12 hours of training because it is based on your performance. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you start your training early to ensure that you complete all of the training necessary before tournament day. The Ball Crew Chairs will determine when you have reached that goal.

Ball Crew Members with 2 or more years of experience at the BNP Paribas Open must complete a minimum of 4 hours of yearly refresher training or 1 day of Boot Camp. Training sessions will be offered at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and out-of-area locations.

Indian Wells Boot Camp

  • All trainings in Indian Wells will be held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden located at 78-200 Miles Avenue, Indian Wells, CA 92210.
  • Training times are 10:00 am – 3:00 pm each day with a lunch break from 12:15pm-12:45pm.
  • Please bring your own lunch, snacks, and water. Wear athletic clothing and non-marking tennis shoes. You may want to wear layers of clothing in case of weather changes. Enter the facility off Miles Avenue, Gate 7.
  • Training Dates:
    • Saturday, January 30, 2027
    • Sunday, January 31, 2027
    • Saturday, February 6, 2027
    • Sunday, February 7, 2027

Off-Site Training: The following are training dates/times/locations for off-site BNP Paribas Open Ball Crew training. Registration is required to attend training.

American Fork, UT
January and February of 2027

Austin, TX
January 2027
Courtyard Tennis Club, 5608 Courtyard Dr, Austin, TX 78731

Kent, WA
January 2027
Boeing Employee Tennis Club, 6727 S 199th PL, Kent, WA 98032

Dana Point, CA
December 2026; January 2027
The Tennis Club at Monarch Beach, 33080 Niguel Rd, Dana Point, CA 92629

Idaho Falls, ID
December 2026, January and February 2027

Malibu, CA
January  2027
Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90263

Sunnyvale, CA
January of 2027
Sunnyvale Training Center, 755 S Mathilda Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94087

San Diego, CA
November and December 2026
Rancho Penasquitos Tennis Center, 12350 Black Mountain Road, San Diego, CA 92128

Santa Barbara, CA
January & February of 2027
Santa Barbara Tennis Club, 2375 Foothill Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Washington DC
January 2027

Good luck and we look forward to having you join our team!

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