Inside the PSL’s Official Launch and What It Means for the Future of Pro Softball
The Professional Softball League is Here with a Mission
The professional softball landscape is something that needs more opportunity to flourish in this country. Year after year, great softball players graduate college and are faced with limited opportunity to pursue a pro career here in the states.
Professional softball took a major step today with the official launch announcement of the Professional Softball League, a new unified league that will bring together seven independent organizations under one structure beginning in June 2026.
The season will run through late July with consistent scheduling, league standings, and a postseason pathway. This strengthens the pro softball space even more, giving more opportunities for women to continue their careers post college.
PSL spokesperson and Florida Vibe owner Ryan Moore called this moment a turning point for the sport.
“This is a milestone moment for professional fastpitch softball. We’ve seen the momentum build year after year, and bringing teams together under one league structure creates something bigger than any one club can do alone. The PSL is about stability, opportunity, and showcasing the incredible talent in this sport. We’re proud to be part of this next step and excited for what it means for players and fans heading into 2026.”
The league’s seven founding teams are set, featuring the Atlanta Smoke in Atlanta, Georgia, the Chattanooga Chill in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Florida Breeze in Tampa Bay, Florida, the Florida Heat in Viera, Florida, the Florida Vibe in Bradenton, Florida, the KC Diamonds in Kansas City, Kansas, and the New York Rise in New York.
Each team will roster up to twenty professional players, with open tryouts and multiple pathways available for athletes who want to continue their careers at the pro level.
Visibility, something professional softball has often struggled with through the years, instantly becomes a strength through the PSL’s partnership with the All Women’s Sports Network. AWSN will broadcast league games globally on platforms such as Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, DirecTV, Roku, and more reaching more than sixty countries.
AWSN CEO George Chung emphasized the scale of what this means.
“As the first official media partner of the Professional Softball League (PSL), AWSN is proud to feature PSL on major global platforms including Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, and DirecTV delivering live fastpitch softball action to millions of homes across over 60 countries worldwide on All Women’s Sports Network,” said AWSN CEO George Chung.
“This unprecedented distribution creates a massive international audience that will accelerate the growth of the sport, elevate the visibility of women’s professional softball, and showcase the extraordinary talent of PSL athletes on a truly global stage.”
For teams like the Florida Heat, owned and coached by Ricky Bumgardner Jr, this partnership is exactly what they needed to push the sport forward.
“I am thrilled for the Florida Heat to join the PSL. This is a monumental step not only for our organization, but for the growth of women’s softball across the world. Our mission is to elevate athletes, build opportunities, and inspire the next generation, and the PSL gives us the perfect platform to do that.”
Ricky has been outspoken about why this league matters. In our conversation, he talked about the importance of extending careers, helping athletes build their personal brands, and giving them a chance to stay connected to the game beyond college.
“There is a want and a need for professional softball and extending athletes’ careers past college,” he said. “It is never fun when you see posts of players hanging up the cleats when there is still a lot more left in the tank. The PSL gives us a chance to help extend that journey.”
He also stressed the significance of visibility and the responsibility of giving fans and families a real way to follow these athletes.
“Being able to have eyes is the name of the game. You have to have eyes on the product. You have to have the platform to do that, and knowing where we are going with visibility is going to be massive. Just like the Vibe. You could watch the Vibe last year, and the Rise as well. The AWSN partnering with us for professional softball is them saying, we believe in what you guys are going to do and we want to be part of that,” said Bumgardner.
“I mean, how cool is that to be able to turn on the TV and watch your cousin or your granddaughter, or even if the parents cannot make it to every game. That is a big deal, and we take that extremely serious.”
For Kansas City Diamonds General Manager Jeremy McDowell, this league represents something he has wanted to be a part of his entire career.
“The chance to help build a true professional home for more women in this sport is something I’ve dreamed about for a long time,” said Jeremy McDowell, General Manager of the KC Diamonds (Kansas City, KS). “After 25 years in softball, I’ve seen how much talent is out there and how badly athletes want a place to keep playing at the highest level. The PSL is about giving more players that opportunity.”
In my conversation with Leah Boggs of the Kansas City Diamonds, she spoke on Jeremy’s vision as well for KC and what they would like to see happen in the future. This is something that they are looking to continue growing and make it sustainable for quite some time.
“He really wants to grow the Midwest. I know that for sure. The Diamonds are the first team playing in the Midwest right now, and we are looking to continue finding people who want to be part of that. Hopefully we can create more teams and create more excitement around pro softball,” said Boggs.
“Eventually, who knows the timeline, whether it is a year from now or five or ten years from now, but the goal is to have a livable wage for girls who want to play professionally,” Leah explained.
“Because right now, no matter what league you are in, you are not playing for the money. You are playing for the growth of the game, the love of the game, and wanting to be part of the building blocks that get girls in the future to where they deserve to be, which is playing professionally and being able to solely focus on that.”
Listening to everyone’s visions and passionate outlook on this league, I am excited for a new beginning and more opportunities for professional softball in this country. Everyone can help grow this game by supporting these great people that are trying to do good for the game of softball.
The PSL’s official website, professionalsoftballleague.com, is now live and will serve as the central hub for league news, schedules, standings, stats, merchandise, and player opportunities.
More details on the 2026 season calendar and competitive format will be released soon, but the message is clear. Professional softball is continuing the much needed build of something unified, visible, and sustainable.
