SHUTTERSTOCK STUDIOS JOINS FORCES WITH THE CARVANA® PPA TOUR ON PARTNERS, THE FIRST HYBRID FORMAT TO GO BEHIND THE SCENES OF PROFESSIONAL PICKLEBALL, AMERICA'S FASTEST-GROWING SPORT
PR Newswire
NEW YORK, April 9, 2026
Premiering May 5 on Prime Video in the U.S., the Carvana® PPA Tour YouTube Channel and PickleballTV, PARTNERS Is the Latest Addition to Shutterstock Studios' Expanding Long-Form Documentary Slate
Official Trailer HERE
Download Key Art and Series Imagery HERE
NEW YORK, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Shutterstock Studios, the global production and creative services division of Shutterstock, Inc., today announced the premiere of PARTNERS, a six-part reality and sports crossover docuseries produced in partnership with the Carvana® PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) Tour, offering the first-ever on- and off-court look behind the scenes of professional pickleball. The series premieres Tuesday, May 5 on Prime Video in the U.S. at no additional cost with a Prime membership, the Carvana® PPA Tour YouTube Channel and PickleballTV, with all episodes dropping at once.
PARTNERS represents Shutterstock Studios' commitment to premium storytelling, leveraging a brand-funded entertainment model that bridges Carvana® and the PPA Tour's brand objectives with authentic content built for mainstream audiences. The project is made possible by Carvana®'s willingness to take risks and support culturally relevant stories, particularly across sports. The series launches with multi-platform distribution and an on-air cast of more than 25 players, coaches and executives at the center of the sport's defining season.
Gaining extraordinary access across one full season of the Carvana® PPA Tour, PARTNERS pulls back the curtain on a league often described as a traveling university: players train together, party together, date each other and show up at the same hotel the morning after a loss, a breakup or a contract dispute. Less than five years since its founding, the league faces its most consequential season yet as payout structures change, newcomers topple legacy players and major sponsors become a fixture in a sport now played in 78 countries, with 19.8 million players in America alone, and prize money for professional athletes exceeding $30 million annually.
"Pickleball is certainly having a moment, but most people still haven't seen what it actually feels like inside that world," says Mark Infante, Executive Producer, Shutterstock Studios. "The access we received from the Carvana® PPA Tour changed everything, placing us directly within the action – close to the players, decisions and the dynamics. That level of access only happens through trust and when a brand is part of the story from the start. We're telling real stories that core fans will recognize immediately, and new audiences can jump in without needing a primer."
"Our partnership with the PPA has given us a front-row seat to one of the fastest-growing sports in the country," says Ryan Keeton, Chief Brand Officer at Carvana®. "PARTNERS is a natural next step, offering fans a deeper look at the players and stories driving that growth. It's an exciting way for us to continue building with the tour and connect with the community in a more meaningful way."
"The Carvana® PPA Tour continues to showcase professional pickleball on the world's biggest stages, and PARTNERS gives the world a front-row seat to everything that goes on behind the scenes – the drama, the competition, the passion and much more," says Connor Pardoe, Founder and CEO of the Carvana® PPA Tour. "Pickleball is exploding, and Mark, Dan and their team have delivered a series that meets it head on as they share these amazing stories with the world.
PARTNERS is produced by Shutterstock Studios in association with Wavelength. Executive producers include Mark Infante, Michele Gauthier, Aiden Darne and Jon Weidman. Dan Bradley (Sprint) serves as showrunner.
PARTNERS marks a milestone in Shutterstock Studios' growing project slate, which spans commercial production, branded content and premium documentary programming across TV, film and social. Recent projects include We Are King (Olympic Channel) and the Cannes Lions shortlisted documentary Surfing Through the Odds in partnership with Betclic. The global production studio has been at the forefront of tech-enabled storytelling and continues to expand its capabilities in creative production and innovative formats.
About the Carvana® PPA Tour
The Professional Pickleball Association Tour (PPA), sponsored by Carvana®, is professional pickleball's premier league, co-founded by Connor Pardoe and Conner Ogden in 2019. The Carvana® PPA has grown to more than 170 contracted players competing across 25 annual events, with prize money in the tens of millions of dollars. The sport is now played in 78 countries.
About Carvana
Carvana's mission is to change the way people buy and sell cars. Since launching in 2013, more than 4 million customers have chosen Carvana's leading automotive e-commerce experience to shop, sell, finance, and trade in vehicles entirely online, with the convenience of delivery or local pickup as soon as the same day. Carvana's unique offering is powered by its passionate team, differentiated national infrastructure, and purpose-built technology.
For more information, please visit Carvana.com.
About Shutterstock Studios
Shutterstock Studios is an award-winning global content engine that develops, produces and distributes premium series, documentaries and branded entertainment designed to extend brand narratives beyond traditional campaigns, push the boundaries of storytelling and move audiences. Combining global first-in-class creativity, agility and next-generation production tools – including a robust suite of AI services for hyperscalers and global brands – Shutterstock Studios delivers work that performs in market, scales globally and never loses sight of the brand. Recognized by the Clios, the Webbys, the Anthem and Cannes Lions Awards, Shutterstock provides the expertise and reach expected at the highest levels of the industry.
About Wavelength
Wavelength is a globally recognized independent studio with a long list of industry recognition - including Emmys, Tonys, Grammy nominations, and Oscar shortlists. Wavelength's diverse portfolio includes Academy Award®-shortlisted 32 SOUNDS, Netflix's RATHER, Venice winner THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ON SWIFT HORSES, Emmy winners FEELS GOOD MAN, ART AND KRIMES BY KRIMES as well as the beloved WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR. Theater credits include Tony-winning The Outsiders, Tony-nominated The Who's Tommy and Here Lies Love, and Burlesque. In 2025, Wavelength cemented its commitment to sports and branded entertainment by acquiring Duplex Deli, the production agency founded by Dan Bradley and Jon Weidman. Wavelength's branded content division brings film-level craft to brand storytelling, partnering with leading brands such as HOKA, Marriott, lululemon, MINI, Uber Eats, Nike, Adidas, and Pepsi. Wavelength was recently honored with 13 Telly Awards, including two gold awards for HOKA's "Humans of HOKA" and three gold awards for De Beers' "Talent Unearthed."
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SOURCE Shutterstock, Inc.
