Rising tennis star Ben Shelton, ranked number 9 in the world among men’s tennis players, has formed an exclusive content partnership with Wheelhouse. The new deal will see Shelton collaborate with teams at Wheelhouse Sports and with Wheelhouse-backed content studio Portal A to develop and produce a slate of original and brand-funded digital projects that will debut across his YouTube, Instagram and TikTok channels.
First up from Shelton and Wheelhouse is new docuseries The Long Game now available on Shelton’s Instagram and YouTube channels. The series, which is being directed by Josh Tu and Portal A’s Nate Houghteling, tracks Shelton on and off the court, offering viewers unparalleled, near real-time access to Shelton and his inner circle, around the biggest moments of the upcoming season.
The series’ premiere sets the stage, offering a prologue to 2026 by tracking Shelton’s breakout 2025 season, including his rollercoaster week at the US Open.
While The Long Game establishes Shelton’s YouTube presence, the partners are working on a slate of projects for his channel, all tapping into Shelton’s varied interests – from a sports psychology series to a format built around his love of vintage cars.
Shelton said: “I’ve always believed the journey matters just as much as the results, and Wheelhouse and Portal A are the perfect partners to help bring my story to life. The Long Game shows the highs, the lows, and everything that goes into chasing the biggest moments.”
Shelton’s deal with Wheelhouse and The Long Game follow Wheelhouse Sports and Portal A’s collaboration with NBA star Anthony Edwards. In February 2025, the partners released the premium follow doc Year Five, which generated more than 72 million views across Edwards’ social platforms, including 3 million YouTube views.
“We launched Wheelhouse Sports to be a true partner and creative solution for athletes who want to share their stories,” said Wheelhouse Sports VP Stan Kaufman. “We’re thrilled to be in business with Ben and to build a platform where his fans and brand partners can create alongside him. Like Ant, he brings a rare charisma that transcends the court, and he’s only scratched the surface of what’s ahead.”
Portal A co-founder Nate Houghteling added: “There’s a reason Ben is in everyone’s feeds – he has the ‘it’ factor that you can’t quantify but is unmistakable when you see it. With the launch of his YouTube channel, we want to expand the scale of Ben’s storytelling while staying true to who he is.”
