The Athletes Without Borders softball league will kick off its inaugural season on June 7, in the presence of Major League Baseball (MLB).
In the first partnership of its kind with a professional women’s sports league, Major League Baseball announced Thursday a strategic investment in the Australian Baseball League (AUSL) to help the fledgling league become a strong and sustainable entity. This investment is part of MLB’s ongoing commitment to supporting the growth of softball at all levels and includes joint sales and marketing efforts, significant promotional support, and broadcasts on MLB Network and MLB.TV to raise awareness of the AUSL and its players.
“MLB’s investment in the AUSL represents an opportunity to support the long-term growth of softball and strengthen our commitment to these exceptional players and their fans,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
With the growing popularity of women’s sports, particularly softball, the AUSL represents a new platform for the world’s best softball players who wish to compete at the professional level. The league’s commissioner is Kim Ng, former Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations for Major League Baseball (MLB) and the first female general manager of a U.S. men’s professional sports team during her time with the Miami Marlins from 2020 to 2023.
“As part of our overall commitment to growing softball and creating new opportunities for women and girls in the sport, this agreement demonstrates our confidence in Kim Ng’s leadership, the vision of the AUSL, and the incredible talent of its players,” said Manfred. “During this exceptionally exciting time for women’s sports, we want softball to thrive. MLB is committed to helping build a sustainable and impactful league that strengthens the fan base, serves the softball community, and benefits all female athletes.”
The inaugural season of the AUSL promises to be an exciting one. Four teams—the Bandits, Blaze, Talons, and Volts—will compete in a 24-game tour across 10 cities, each in a traditional format, from June 7 to July 23. The tour will conclude with the top two teams competing in the best-of-three Australian Football League (AUSL) Championship, from July 26 to 28, at Rhodes Stadium at the University of Alabama.
AUSL Opening Day will take place on Saturday, June 7, in Rosemont, Illinois, and Wichita, Kansas.
“This is a pivotal moment in the history of women’s sports, and specifically baseball,” Ng said in a statement. “MLB’s investment will strengthen our efforts to build the sustainable professional league this sport so long deserves and will send a powerful message about the value of female athletes and the importance of providing them with professional opportunities. Together, we will reach new audiences and inspire the next generation of female baseball players.”
Major League Baseball (MLB) has a long-standing relationship with the United States Softball Federation (USF). It sponsors the National Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association and supports the development of the sport through the PLAY BALL program, the Nike RBI program, the Elite Development Invitational, the Breakthrough Series, and other youth engagement initiatives.
This is MLB’s first investment in a professional softball league. MLB’s financial support will help cover the AUSL’s operating expenses, and many aspects of its business operations will be carried out in collaboration with the AUSL, including sales and marketing. AUSL athletes and their stories will be featured on MLB’s digital platforms and integrated into MLB events, such as the All-Star Game and the playoffs. MLB Network and MLB.TV will broadcast select AUSL games (including the home opener in Wichita between the Vaults and Blazes).
AUSL is part of Athletes Without Borders, an organization founded in 2010 by John Patricof and Jonathan Soros, which owns and operates several professional women’s sports leagues, including basketball and volleyball. Following the conclusion of the AUSL season, Athletes Without Borders will also host the AUSL All-Star Cup in August, a 24-game tournament featuring 60 players and an innovative scoring system that determines an individual champion.
The AUSL roster was formed from a January draft featuring players who had already exhausted their college eligibility, such as former Oklahoma State player Lexi Kilfoyle (the league’s first overall pick), former UCLA players Megan Faraimo and Rachel Garcia, former Oklahoma player Kailani Ricketts, and former Florida State outside linebacker Amanda Lorenz. A subsequent draft was held in May, selecting 12 outstanding college players, such as Oklahoma’s Sam Landry and Arkansas’s Bree Ellis, USA Softball’s Player of the Year.
In addition to Ng, the AUSL leadership also includes advisors Jennie Finch, Natasha Whatley, Jessica Mendoza, and Cat Osterman, all MLB ambassadors.
More information about the AUSL, including the schedule and ticketing, is available on the league’s official website.
