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MLB Backs Athletes Unlimited Softball League with Strategic Investment

MLB views the move as a way to expand softball’s professional footprint by leveraging its marketing and broadcast platforms.

Athletes Unlimited Softball League players Montana Fouts, Odicci Alexander, Sis Bates, Skylar Wallace, Amanda Lorenz, Aliyah Andrews, Maya Brady and Aleshia Ocasio.
GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 07: Team Kilfoil and Team McQuillin starters stand for the national anthem with Little League World Series players during an Athletes Unlimited Pro game at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium on August 07, 2024 in Greenville, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Taylor Edwards takes her at-bat during an Athletes Unlimited Pro game at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium in an August 2024 game. Edwards is among the players who will be taking part in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League's inaugural season this year.
Jul 13, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; USA softball Olympian Jennie Finch (27) of the American League looks on as she pitches against the National League during the 2024 All Star Celebrity Softball Game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Overview

  • MLB’s first comprehensive investment in a women’s pro league will fund operational costs and growth initiatives for Athletes Unlimited Softball.
  • The partnership secures marketing support and live broadcasts of select games on MLB Network and MLB.tv alongside ESPN coverage.
  • AUSL’s inaugural season opens June 7 with four teams—the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts—competing in a 24-game, 12-city tour.
  • Former Miami Marlins GM Kim Ng, appointed commissioner in April, brings MLB executive experience to guide the new league.
  • Following the summer tour, AUSL will stage an All-Star Cup in August and transition to a six-team, city-based league in 2026.