Athletes Unlimited Softball League to Launch in 2025

Athletes Unlimited will start up the Athletes Unlimited Softball League with a scheduled launch in 2025 featuring four teams playing a 30-game season.

The new league will complement the existing AU Pro Softball Championship season. The announcement was made on Tuesday ahead of the day’s action at the NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

“With our established infrastructure as well as strong existing sponsorship and broadcast partners and the support of USA Softball, we believe the AUSL is set up for success,” Athletes Unlimited Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jon Patricof said. “As the sport prepares to return to the Olympics in 2028 amid increasing fan interest at the college and professional levels, now is the time to seize on this positive momentum and expand the sport even further.”

Athletes Unlimited softball started after the Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo and originally was based in Chicago. AU expanded its offerings to AUX Softball plus the softball championship season with both located in Chicago in 2023 before AU moved the AUX Softball two-week event this year to Wichita, Kansas. The AUX season will be replaced by the team model after this summer.

“I am confident the AUSL will succeed, building off all the efforts made by so many to build and grow this sport to where it is now,” AU Senior Vice President and Director of Softball Cheri Kempf said. “The AUSL will benefit from the AU team’s five years of experience, an established and committed broadcast partner in ESPN and a unique relationship with the current players that has not been seen before in this sport. These relationships, along with a unified and supported structure, are what we believe to be the key to success at the professional level.”

The AUSL will become a city-based league beginning in 2026, while the inaugural season in 2025 will be a touring property featuring games in 6–8 different cities. The existing AU Pro Softball Championship Season will follow the conclusion of the AUSL season and will be renamed the AUSL Champions Cup beginning in 2025.

“USA Softball is extremely excited for this new era of Athletes Unlimited and believes it is a great step forward in growing the sport of softball,” said Craig Cress, chief executive officer of USA Softball. “Providing these athletes with the chance to play professionally in a more traditional league will not only impact current athletes but also future generations of softball athletes.”

Softball legends Jessica Mendoza, Cat Osterman, and Natasha Watley have signed on as advisors to the AUSL, consulting with leadership and current athletes on the strategic direction of the league.

“Athletes Unlimited continues to have an open mind and view for what best serves our sport and athletes,” said Osterman, a three-time Olympic medalist, four-time All-American, and six-time professional All-Star. “AUSL is much needed in our sport, as the traditional model is popular amongst fans, but also gives athletes the opportunity to develop and progress within the consistent environment of a season.”

“Athletes Unlimited has generated unprecedented national coverage for professional softball by ensuring widespread broadcast distribution for its leagues,” added Mendoza, a two-time Olympic medalist and four-time All-American. “I am confident the AUSL will be the next step in the continued growth of this sport in the U.S. and provide countless opportunities for today’s best players both on and off the field.”

Since launching softball, Athletes Unlimited has added women’s lacrosse, volleyball, and basketball leagues.

“The AUSL will continue the mission that Athletes Unlimited began in 2020 to elevate professional softball,” said Watley, two-time Olympic medalist and four-time All-American. “The AUSL not only gives players another platform to showcase their talent at the highest level, but allows many athletes to extend their softball careers past college and professionally. It also inspires millions of young girls to follow their idols and aspire to be a professional athlete one day.”