ARIZONA ATHLETIC GROUNDS AND CARVANA PPA TOUR EXECUTE MAJOR DEAL, TRANSFERRING YEAR-ROUND PICKLEBALL OPERATIONS TO THE GLOBAL LEADER IN PRO AND AMATEUR PICKLEBALL

PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds will become a national hub for pro tournaments, premier training for pros and junior, amateur programming and experiences and much more

MESA, Ariz. and DALLAS, Sept. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Arizona Athletic Grounds (AAG) and the Carvana PPA Tour announced today a multi-decade partnership, making the "PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds" a national home for the premier global professional and amateur pickleball organization. As the national destination for championship sports and live entertainment, attracting millions of visitors annually, AAG is already home to multiple annual Carvana PPA Tour events including the incredibly popular Carvana Mesa Cup in February and Veolia Arizona Open, which is currently taking place.

The Carvana PPA Tour will take over year-round operations of AAG's state-of-the-art pickleball facility that features 41 courts, including four medal courts with spectator stands and a covered Championship Stadium court with seating for up to 2,000 spectators. The newly named "PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds" will continue to host marquee Carvana PPA Tour events, while also introducing new tournaments and year-round pro and amateur training at AAG's best-in-class sports and training ecosystem.

"Our focus on partnering with the top sports organizations in the U.S. is unwavering. We have long admired the incredible organization that Connor Pardoe and the team at the PPA have built, and to execute this expansive, multi-decade partnership is a major win for both of our organizations", said Mike Burke, CEO of Arizona Athletic Grounds. "With the PPA's incredible growth and programming expertise, and AAG's state-of-the-art facilities and commitment to white-glove service, I firmly believe that the PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds will have an enormously positive impact on the local, regional, and national pickleball community."

As part of the new partnership, PPA will also fund a significant capital investment in the campus, including additional shade, seating, and other improvements to support year-round play. With the deal recently finalized, more information on the exciting evolution of the PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds will be forthcoming, with many new initiatives planned to launch in early 2027.

"Year after year, the success of Carvana PPA Tour events at Arizona Athletic Grounds underscores just how amazing the facility, its staff and the broader Mesa pickleball community are," said Connor Pardoe, Founder and CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour. "We are incredibly excited to be able to invest in the development of the new PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds not only from an infrastructure standpoint, but also from the perspective of programming and initiatives that grow the sport and our passionate community of pro and amateur players."

Already one of the nation's premier pickleball destinations, the PPA Campus at Arizona Athletic Grounds represents the long-term vision and commitment from both AAG and the Carvana PPA Tour to help elevate the fastest growing sport in the country. Further details regarding planned initiatives to follow.

About Arizona Athletic Grounds:
Arizona Athletic Grounds (AAG) is the national destination for championship sports and live entertainment, attracting millions of visitors annually. AAG has a 275-acre campus in Mesa, Ariz., with more than 150 playing surfaces, 500,000 indoor square feet, and year-round high-profile events. The campus hosts a wide range of youth, amateur, and professional events — including MLS NEXT, Tribe Basketball, Major League Pickleball, Nike EYBL, USA Basketball, and Special Olympics Arizona — providing a scalable platform for competition, community, and growth. AAG also served as 2026 FIFA World Cup Base Camp for the Türkiye Men's National Soccer Team, is the current home of Sports Academy's integrated training and recovery space across 50,000 square feet, and is newly the home of the PPA Tour on its 41-court pickleball complex. AAG continues to expand its integrated sports ecosystem through strategic partnerships focused on athlete performance, wellness, entertainment, and community engagement. For more information visit www.azgrounds.com or follow us on Instagram.

About Carvana PPA Tour:
The Carvana PPA Tour engages and amplifies fans, partners and pickleball communities worldwide by encouraging everyone to BE THE BEST. Founded in 2019, the Carvana PPA Tour is the only place to see pickleball's biggest names compete for the sport's most important championships and titles. The Carvana PPA Tour cements professional pickleball in the global sports ecosystem by attracting numerous multi-national partners, while consistently elevating the profile of pickleball globally via the sport's largest international footprint. With a steadfast commitment to the greatest community in sports, Carvana PPA Tour amateur divisions attract thousands of players competing in multiple alongside the elite professional athletes at each tour stop.

Action from all Carvana PPA Tour tournaments can be seen live on Pickleballtv. For more information, go to www.ppatour.com, and follow us on social: Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn.

Media Contacts:
Ryan Woodcock
[email protected], (480) 766-1221

Jeff Watson, Carvana PPA Tour
[email protected]

SOURCE Arizona Athletic Grounds