Athletes Unlimited and ESPN Announce Expanded Multi Year Rights Agreement Covering All Pro Leagues
ESPN Extends Multi Year Partnership with Athletes Unlimited
If you had any doubts or thoughts of Athletes Unlimited Softball League being a one year wonder, you are wrong. Today Athletes Unlimited and ESPN announced a multi year rights extension that strengthens ESPN’s role as the official broadcast partner for all Athletes Unlimited professional leagues including softball, basketball, and volleyball.
For the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, this agreement represents another major step forward in visibility and legitimacy. ESPN will broadcast 50 exclusive AUSL games annually as part of the new three year deal, taking effect with the 2026 season. The package includes 47 regular season matchups and the best of three AUSL Championship Series.
Even more historic, ABC will air a championship series game in 2026, marking the first time professional softball will appear on a major broadcast television network. This is major for the AUSL, who has already shown to be a valued league in today’s professional sports landscape.
“The growth we’ve seen across Athletes Unlimited’s leagues speaks to the power and appeal of women’s sports,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming and Acquisitions. “We’re excited to deepen our partnership and bring even more of these moments and athletes to fans everywhere.”
The AUSL’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. The league’s 2025 season drew sold out crowds across the country and posted major growth in viewership on ESPN networks. According to Athletes Unlimited, viewership rose 88 percent year over year across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU. The Championship Series averaged 230,000 viewers, while 24 games sold out entirely. Merchandise sales surpassed one million dollars, and digital engagement skyrocketed with over 237 million social media impressions and 450,000 new followers gained.
“ESPN has played a pivotal role in the success of Athletes Unlimited, giving our world class athletes the opportunity to shine on the most prominent stage in sports, and serving as the undisputed home for fans of softball, basketball, and volleyball,” said Cheri Kempf, Chief Broadcast Officer of Athletes Unlimited. “This renewed and expanded partnership affirms the strength of our properties and reflects the growing enthusiasm for women’s professional sports. We are excited to continue collaborating with ESPN’s outstanding team to elevate the AUSL, AU Pro Basketball, and the AU Pro Volleyball Championship even further and deliver exceptional experiences for fans and brands alike.”
The partnership is another clear signal that women’s professional sports are thriving, not just surviving. It reinforces the growing stability, credibility, and seriousness of women’s athletics in this country, something that has been long overdue. This also gives the next generation of female athletes something real to aspire to, showing that opportunity and visibility at the professional level are here to stay.
For Athletes Unlimited, the deal ensures that the momentum built on competition, community engagement, and passionate fan support will continue to grow on a national stage and now with a larger spotlight than ever before. “Everyone watches women’s sports.”
Now we wait for more news from the AUSL. Everyone has been eager to hear which additional teams and host cities will make up the league for the 2026 season. From what I’ve heard, those details should be finalized soon, but until then, we’ll all be waiting in anticipation to see what’s next for one of the fastest growing leagues in sports.
Stay tuned and locked in with Fastpitch Wire, as we have you covered with Athletes Unlimited Softball League news, stories, and game coverage.
