As the collegiate softball postseason continues to heat up with teams hoping for the chance to play in Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series, softball fans can also anticipate and prepare for the start of professional softball, with Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) returning for its second season.
AUSL will start their second season in their six team format on June 9, but perhaps what makes this season so unique, is the league’s visibility. AUSL will have more than 90 games distributed across an expanded group of national and international broadcast partners. This will be the most comprehensive media coverage in professional softball history.
AUSL games will air throughout the season on ESPN platforms, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and, for the first time, ESPN Deportes, alongside new partnerships with CBS Sports and MLB Network. Additional games will be available for free via MLB.TV and streaming on MLB.com.
Last year, in the league’s first year, media distribution was highly based on regional sports networks, digital channels, and ESPN platforms with 38 total games receiving linear national channel coverage.
In comparison, this year the national reach has greatly expanded, allowing households across the country to see and watch professional softball this summer.
ESPN platforms will carry more than 50 games during the 2026 season, including regular season matchups, the AUSL Championship, the All-Star Cup and the AUSL Pro Game at the Little League Softball World Series presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods.
Game One of the AUSL Championship will air on ABC on Saturday, July 25, marking the first time a professional softball game will be broadcast on network television.
This year, AUSL also added the crucial partnership with ESPN Deportes and CBS Sports Network. In speaking about these paramount deals, Athletes Unlimited co-founder and CEO Jon Patricof said, “We are incredibly excited about breathe of the distribution and making these games accessible, which has been a hallmark of what’s important in women’s sports is bringing games to the audiences where they are.”
He continued, “I believe we are one of only three women’s professional leagues that will have games broadcasted in the Spanish language and to have ESPN Deportes which is a powerhouse in the media landscape means that a whole new audience is going to be able to tune in and watch some games this summer.”
Investment is Driving Increases in Viewership and Visibility
The AUSL is capitalizing on the growth of softball around the US. According to USA Softball, the organization registers over one million players, coaches, and umpires as members of the sport. Furthermore, the Aspen Institute’s Project Play 2025 report found that in 2024, 65% of Latino youth ages 6-17 tried sports at least one day over the previous 12 months – a higher rate than Black and White youth.
More specifically, ELLA Sports Foundation co-founder Patty Godoy attributes the increase to greater representation of Latinas in college and pro sports stating, “When young girls feel represented, they are empowered to dream and to succeed in life.” She continued,“This representation is inspiring and motivating for young Latinas to play sports and stay in sports.”
Thus, the partnership with ESPN Deportes is an important step as AUSL seeks to capture and inspire this new and emerging softball fan group.
As the league looks to expand its fan base, and access to softball across the United States, it will also be looking to gain more ground in their viewership growth. The jump in televised games this season is a 26% increase from last year. Furthermore, AUSL reported that they increased their viewership by 88% exclusively on ESPN platforms, and +148% on all their platforms from 2024 to 2025.
The league’s steady rise in viewership signals an increasingly promising future for professional softball in the United States.
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