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MLB Announces 'Strategic Investment' In Professional Softball League

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League begins its inaugural season on June 7.

Brigid Kennedy

A softball and a softball glove on the field.
A softball and a softball glove on the field. / Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

The women's sports explosion continues.

Major League Baseball will be making a "strategic investment" in the new AUSL—Athletes Unlimited Softball League—in a "first-of-its-kind, comprehensive partnership with a women's professional sports league," the body announced Thursday.

The partnership will serve to elevate and grow the AUSL by leveraging MLB's "marketing, events, distribution, editorial, digital and social platforms, content and more, including select AUSL games airing on MLB Network and MLB.com," per the release.

Major League Baseball will also support the fledgling operation financially by assisting with operational costs and growth initiatives.

“Major League Baseball’s investment in the AUSL represents an opportunity to support softball’s long-term growth and expand our engagement with these outstanding athletes and their fans," said baseball commissioner Robert Manfred.

"During this extraordinarily exciting time for women’s sports, we want softball to thrive. MLB is committed to help build a sustainable and impactful league that drives fandom, serves the softball community, and benefits all female athletes.”

Added AUSL commissioner and former Miami Marlins GM Kim Ng: “This is a watershed moment for women’s sports and especially for softball. MLB’s investment will supercharge our efforts to build the sustainable professional league this sport has long deserved, and sends a powerful message about the value of female athletes and the importance of creating professional opportunities for them. Together, we’re going to reach new fans and inspire the next generation of softball players.”

The AUSL will begin its inaugural season, comprising 24 games, on Saturday, June 7. Four teams will compete this year: the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts.

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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.

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