MLB invests in Athletes Unlimited Softball League ahead of June debut

Major League Baseball is investing in Athletes Unlimited to support its softball league that will debut next month, marking the first time MLB will have a comprehensive partnership with a professional women's sports league.

Major League Baseball is investing in Athletes Unlimited to support its softball league that will debut next month, marking the first time MLB will have a comprehensive partnership with a professional women's sports league.

MLB said Thursday it was making a strategic investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League of an undisclosed amount for operational costs and a commitment to help it gain visibility in various ways, including assistance with content, marketing and sales, events, distribution, editorial, and digital and social platforms. That includes marketing the AUSL and its athletes during MLB's All-Star Game and throughout the postseason.

"This is something we're really excited about," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told The Associated Press. "We studied the space hard. We think it's a real opportunity and we're excited to be involved."

Athletes Unlimited has featured softball since 2020, when it unveiled a unique format that crowned an individual champion. The company will launch a league with a traditional, team-based format starting June 7 and will keep its individual format for the AUSL All-Star Cup that follows.

Manfred noted that interest in women's sports had "escalated significantly" in recent years and his league had been looking for ways to get more involved, including the possible launch of its own softball league. He said Athletes Unlimited's overall success and its strong infrastructure helped make the decision to collaborate easier.