- Premier Professional Softball League Enters Opening Day with Blue-Chip Brand Support, Expanded Media Distribution, New Strategic Investors and Six Permanent Home Markets
June 9, 2026, New York –Today is Opening Day for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), which launches its 2026 season with an expanded roster of national and local partners, new strategic investors, and growing commercial support. Action gets underway at 5 p.m. ET with the Carolina Blaze hosting the Portland Cascade (CBS Sports Network), followed by the Texas Volts at Oklahoma City Spark at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) and the defending AUSL Champion Utah Talons hosting the Chicago Bandits at 9 p.m. ET (ESPN2).
The AUSL enters its second season following a breakthrough 2025 campaign that featured 24 sellouts, nearly 90% average venue capacity, more than $1 million in merchandise sales, 333 million social impressions, and significant audience growth across national broadcast partners. The league has since expanded from four to six teams and will compete in permanent home markets for the first time.
The league’s growing business momentum is reflected across sponsorship, media, investment and fan engagement.
The AUSL’s 2026 partner roster includes premier partners adidas and Sephora, alongside league-wide partners DICK’S Sporting Goods, Franklin Sports, Gatorade, GameChanger, goodr, Labcorp, Lonely Planet, MiraLAX, Mizuno, PitchCom, Rawlings/Easton, Sequel and StubHub, as well as a growing roster of local partners supporting teams in AUSL markets across the country.
The 2026 partner portfolio combines new brands entering professional softball with expanded commitments from existing partners, the vast majority of whom have made multi-year commitments to the AUSL. Many have also expanded their involvement through new activations, retail programs, athlete storytelling initiatives, community engagement efforts and integrated marketing campaigns, underscoring growing confidence in the league’s long-term future.
“What makes this moment exciting is that we’re seeing momentum from every direction,” said Jon Patricof, Co-Founder and CEO of Athletes Unlimited. “New brands are entering the sport. Existing partners are expanding their commitments. Investors are recognizing the opportunity in professional softball. Media distribution continues to grow. When you see all of those indicators moving in the same direction at the same time, it’s a strong sign that we’re building something with real staying power. We’ve always believed softball had the audience, the athletes and the passion to support a thriving professional league. For decades, the sport has had the participation, the talent and the fan interest. What we’re seeing now is more and more partners, investors and media companies coming to that same conclusion. We’re building the infrastructure around a sport that has long been ready for this moment.”
Highlights from the league’s growing partner portfolio include:
- adidas became the Official On-Field, Uniform, Apparel and Footwear Provider of the AUSL, outfitting all six teams and league personnel while helping amplify the league through marketing, retail and merchandising initiatives.
- Sephora expanded its relationship with the league through athlete-focused storytelling, fan experiences, broadcast integrations and the launch of the Sephora Braid Bar at AUSL events.
- Franklin Sports recently extended its partnership through 2030 and introduced custom batting gloves for each AUSL team.
- Rawlings/Easton expanded its support through a long-term agreement that includes the launch of the AUSL Gold Glove Award.
- Labcorp joined as the Official Consumer Health Partner of the AUSL, advancing women’s health on and off the field through diagnostic testing and health insights.
- StubHub joined as the Official Ticket Marketplace and Official Open Distribution Partner of the AUSL, helping fans access games across all six home markets.
- Lonely Planet partnered with the AUSL to launch a series of travel guides and destination content designed to help fans experience each league market beyond the ballpark.
Several partners will also activate throughout the season through youth clinics, athlete appearances, retail programs, community initiatives, theme nights, integrated broadcast features and digital content designed to connect fans more closely with AUSL athletes and teams.
The commercial growth comes alongside continued confidence from the broader sports industry. Over the last year, AUSL secured a strategic investment from Major League Baseball and recently welcomed investments from the Milwaukee Brewers and Ryan Sanders Baseball, further strengthening the league’s foundation and reinforcing growing belief in the future of professional softball.
The 2026 season will also feature the most expansive media distribution in professional softball history, with games airing across ESPN platforms, including ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN Deportes, in addition to CBS Sports Network, MLB Network and MLB digital platforms. The season includes several league milestones, including the first season in permanent home markets and the first professional softball game ever broadcast on network television when Game 1 of the AUSL Championship airs on ABC on July 25.
Tickets for all games are available at theAUSL.com. The season culminates with the AUSL Championship in College Station, Texas, in July.
