Athletes Unlimited Softball League

Last updated
Athletes Unlimited Softball League
Upcoming season or competition:
Softball current event.svg 2025 AUSL season
Athletes Unlimited Softball League.svg
Sport Softball
First season 2025
Commissioner Kim Ng
Organising body Athletes Unlimited
No. of teams6
CountryUnited States
Most recent
champion		Talons
Most titlesTalons (1)
Broadcaster ESPN
Official website theausl.com

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is a women's professional softball league in the United States, founded in 2024 and run by Athletes Unlimited.

Contents

History

On June 4, 2024, Athletes Unlimited announced a new softball league, that will feature four teams playing a 30-game season in a traditional format, complementing the existing Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball Championship season. [1] [2] ESPN has signed on as a founding broadcast partner. [1] The AUSL will become a city-based league beginning in 2026, while the inaugural season in 2025 will be touring with games in six to eight different cities. [3] The average salary for a player will be $40,000–45,000, with salaries up to $75,000 achievable through bonus payments. [4] [5] Lexi Kilfoyl was drafted first overall by the Bandits in the inaugural AUSL draft. [6] Kim Ng was appointed AUSL commissioner on April 16, 2025. [7]

On May 29, 2025, Major League Baseball (MLB) announced a strategic investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League to help establish the AUSL as a sustainable organization. [8] [9]

Champions

YearTeamLocationOpponentSeries Score
2025Talons Tuscaloosa, AL Bandits2–0

Teams

2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League teams
TeamLocationStadiumFoundedJoined General manager Head coach
BanditsTBDTBD2025 Jenny Dalton-Hill Stacey Nuveman-Deniz
BlazeTBDTBD2025Dana SorensenAlisa Goler
CascadeTBDTBD2026TBDTBD
Oklahoma City Spark Oklahoma City, OklahomaTBD2023 [a] 2026Kirk WallerAmber Flores
TalonsTBDTBD2025 Lisa Fernandez Howard Dobson
VoltsTBDTBD2025 Cat Osterman Kelly Kretschman

Notes

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, Dave (June 4, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited announces softball league to start in 2025". ESPN.com . Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Athletes Unlimited Softball League to Launch in 2025". auprosports.com. June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  3. ↑ Brunt, Cliff (June 4, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited to add traditional team-based softball league in 2025". Associated Press . Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  4. ↑ Bachman, Rachel (June 4, 2024). "George Soros's Son Has Found a New Cause to Back: Pro Softball" . The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024. The average salary for players who compete in both the new league and the existing season will be $40,000. With bonuses, top players could earn up to $75,000.
  5. ↑ Mazzeo, Mike (November 25, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited Softball League unveils GMs, coaches for inaugural season" . Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal . Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024. The average salaries are projected to be $40,000-$45,000 for the season.
  6. ↑ Wilson, Dave (January 29, 2025). "Lexi Kilfoyl picked 1st in Athletes Unlimited softball draft". ESPN.com . Retrieved January 29, 2025.
  7. ↑ Passan, Jeff (April 16, 2025). "Ex-Marlins GM Kim Ng to run AUSL as kimissioner". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  8. ↑ Castrovince, Anthony (May 29, 2025). "MLB announces partnership with Athletes Unlimited Softball League". MLB.com. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  9. ↑ Hall, Cora (May 29, 2025). "Athletes Unlimited Softball League announces partnership with MLB for inaugural season". Knoxville News Sentinel . Retrieved May 29, 2025.


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