Softball On SI

MLB and Athletes Unlimited Join Forces for Softball League Debut June 7

Allison Smith|
Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) begins their inaugural season on June 7 with the partnership and support of Major League Baseball. In the picture, from left to right: Montana Fouts, Odicci Alexander, Sis Bates, Skylar Wallace, Amanda Lorenz, Aliyah Andrews, Maya Brady, and Aleshia Ocasio.
Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) begins their inaugural season on June 7 with the partnership and support of Major League Baseball. In the picture, from left to right: Montana Fouts, Odicci Alexander, Sis Bates, Skylar Wallace, Amanda Lorenz, Aliyah Andrews, Maya Brady, and Aleshia Ocasio. | Athletes Unlimited

Major League Baseball has officially announced a partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) to help establish and grow AUSL as a sustainable organization and leader in the women's professional sport space.

As part of the partnership, MLB will work to grow AUSL in three distinct ways.

First, MLB will help raise the visibility of AUSL across its broader channels and reach by assisting AUSL with its marketing and digital marketing efforts. Thus, fans will see AUSL athletes at key MLB events including the All-Star Game, postseason, and 2024 AU champion Amanda Lorenz will be participating in Home Run Derby X. Additionally, fans can expect to see social media crossover and collaborations, as well as, the MLB Network will show AUSL game highlights throughout the season.

According to CEO and co-founder of AUSL Jon Patricof, storytelling alongside the MLB will enhance AUSL and showcase their talented athletes, "Telling the stories of our pro softball players has been a priority since we launched our business. We have a strong belief that pro softball players, pro women athletes are incredibly compelling to all fans, fans of women's sports, fans of sports overall, and even fans beyond sports. And so any platform that we can secure or leverage to tell those stories is essential. You've got a lot of storytelling that's going on in the world, and so giving those platforms to these athletes is a high priority. And I think that one of the great things is amplification on different people's channels. And so whether it's MLB players, whether it's the teams, whether it's the league itself, I think just trying to collaborate as much as possible is a huge opportunity for all of us."

Jon Patricof (CEO and co-founder) and Jonathan Soros (co-founder) of Athletes Unlimited pose on AU's field in Rosemont, IL.
Jon Patricof (CEO and co-founder) and Jonathan Soros (co-founder) of Athletes Unlimited pose on AU's field in Rosemont, Illinois. | Athletes Unlimited

Softball and baseball fans alike can expect to see AUSL games air on MLB Network and MLB.TV. This is a huge step forward for AUSL who already has a contract with ESPN for half of the season's games. As Patricof explained, "ESPN is broadcasting half the games, so they are our lead partner, but their deal with us covers 33 of 75 games. So the MLB is going to be broadcasting a number of games that are not broadcast on ESPN."

Lastly, MLB will provide financial investment that will assist with league operational costs and key growth initiatives. Per Patricof, this investment is comprehensive and not singularly focused in one area. He said, "We've had a very detailed and thoughtful business plan and I think the focus is really on the sustainability of this league and building something that's going to be around for a very long time to come. The MLB is bought in and is supporting that plan overall. The financial investment they're gonna be making is gonna be going to support the overall business plan. And so a lot of those resources go towards every aspect, from operations, player compensation to marketing. It's far reaching, and it's not a targeted investment to one area or other."

The partnership has both parties involved excited about the future for women's professional softball. As Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said, “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. As a part of our broader commitment to growing softball and creating more opportunities for women and girls in sports, this agreement reflects our confidence in Kim Ng’s leadership, the AUSL vision, and the incredible talent of its athletes. 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.”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred before game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs on October 16, 2024.
Oct 16, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred before game three of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng echoed Manfred's enthusiasm and spoke to the value of women athletes and women's professional sports, "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.”

Athletes Unlimited Softball League named former MLB GM Kim Ng as the inaugural commissioner of the new league on April 16.
Athletes Unlimited Softball League named former MLB GM Kim Ng as the inaugural commissioner of the new league on April 16, 2025. | Athletes Unlimited

AUSL, Athletes Unlimited's newest iteration of professional softball launches its inaugural season with Opening Day on Saturday, June 7 with games in Rosemont, Illinois and Wichita, Kansas.

In keeping with their commitment to storytelling, MLB will be on site in Rosemont for the opening weekend as host AJ Andrews provides coverage on Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7. This will include interviews running on MLB Network’s Emmy Award-winning MLB Tonight: National Pregame
Show. Fans will be able to see the first Wichita game of the season on MLB Network and MLB.TV at 7:30 p.m. ET.

More News: AU Softball League Swings into Action June 7: Season Preview and What to Expect

More News: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred Announces Plans to Invest in Professional Softball

More News: MLB's Home Run Derby X Welcomes Softball’s Biggest Sluggers

More News: Kim Ng Becomes First Commissioner of Athletes Unlimited Softball League

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Allison Smith
ALLISON SMITH

Allison Smith is an expert in leadership and organizational behavior in collegiate and professional women’s sports. Smith is a professor (Georgia State University), researcher, and writer. Smith holds a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee in Kinesiology and Sport Studies. Smith’s research centers on combatting the underrepresentation of women leaders in sport, lack of organizational structure for work life integration for sport employees, and lack of programming and oversight for preparing athletes to transition to life after sport. Since graduating with a bachelor’s in journalism in 2011, Smith has sought opportunities to write about sports as a contributing writer focused on the growth of women’s collegiate, Olympic, and professional sports in this new age and movement for multiple outlets including Athletic Director U, and now Forbes.com. As a former Division I and II pitcher and Division III pitching coach Smith will bring unique insight and expertise to Softball on SI.

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