Latest news with #AthletesUnlimited
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
MLB's investment in women's pro softball league is a thrill for UChicago alum commissioner
Major League Baseball is making a major investment in professional women's sports. MLB is partnering with the Athletes Unlimited Softball League — which is made up of the best pro softball players in the United States. Spectators can catch games in the northwest Chicago suburb of Rosemont this summer. Athletes Unlimited has been around since 2020. "It is just so fast-paced. It is action-packed," said Kim Ng, commissioner of the AUSL. "The athletes are incredible." Now, the AUSL is getting a major boost. Major League Baseball announced that it is investigating in the league — broadcasting some of the league's games on its network, helping with marketing, and offering financial support. "It's a day that I personally had been waiting for, for a long time," Ng said. Commissioner is a new title for Ng, but she isn't new to softball. She played in high school, and s she was a Maroon at the University of Chicago — where she played middle infielder while majoring in public policy, the Chicago Maroon recounted. After graduating from UChicago in 1990, Kim started her career in Chicago. "I was an intern for the Chicago White Sox, and then I became full-time," said Ng. "I was there for six years." Ng spent 10 years altogether with MLB. She advanced to assistant director of baseball operations with the White Sox in 1995, and moved to the New York Yankees as assistant general manager under Brian Cashman in 1998. She held executive positions with the Los Angeles Dodgers and in the MLB offices before being named general manager of the Miami Marlins in 2020. Now, she's back to softball. "Our spring training just started yesterday," she said. The AUSL season begins June 7 in Rosemont. Four teams will complete in 24 games over the course of two months — launching pro softball into the limelight. "I think it's such an incredible statement for the sport," said Ng.
3 days ago
- Business
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. 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. 'We thought rather than starting on our own and competing, that finding a place where we could invest and grow a business was a better opportunity for us,' Manfred said. Kim Ng, a former Major League Baseball executive, signed on as an adviser with the AUSL and was promoted to commissioner in April. Ng is the former general manager of the Miami Marlins, the first female GM in any of the major U.S. pro sports leagues, and has three World Series rings from a combined 21 years in the front offices of the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. 'As the process moved forward and it looked like we were going to make an investment, they hired Kim, and we had a long relationship with Kim, and it just added additional comfort to the idea of making the investment,' Manfred said. Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jon Patricof said MLB's commitment to increasing the AUSL's visibility is as important as the financial investment. 'They're committed to really elevating the AUSL,' he said. 'It's probably about one of the most difficult things for any sports league to do which is to get visibility and break through to new audiences, and I think MLB is already doing that for the AUSL, and there's going to be a lot more to come.' Women's pro softball leagues and independent teams have come and gone over the years, but none have offered a consistent option for women to have a stable future in the sport. It appears that might change, with the help of softball greats Cat Osterman, Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza and Natasha Watley as AUSL advisors. On June 7, the Bandits and Talons will open with a three-game series in Rosemont, Illinois, and the Blaze and Volts will start off with a three-game series in Wichita, Kansas. The four teams will play 24 games this season as touring properties that will play games in 12 cities. The top two teams will compete in the AUSL Championship, a best-of-three series July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Patricof said the league plans to expand to six teams next season and be city based. MLB already supports several women's softball and baseball initiatives, including a partnership with USA Softball and operation of the MLB Develops girls baseball pipeline. It is not involved with the upstart Women's Professional Baseball League, which plans to launch in 2026 as the first pro baseball league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — of "A League of Their Own" fame — folded in 1954. Manfred said he sees a bright future ahead for AUSL. 'I fully expect that they will expand, and we hope that we will end up with a league that is sustainable on its own, a good investment for us, and a partner in growing diamond sports internationally,' he said. Patricof said the partnership with MLB and the already existing relationship between the Athletes Unlimited and USA Softball combine to help give the AUSL stability. 'As we announce MLB coming into the fold formally into what we're doing with the AUSL, you really see a full alignment of this sport behind this league, and that I think is exciting for everyone,' Patricof said. 'People who have sat on the sidelines or maybe have watched pro softball from a little bit of distance — everybody's now jumped in, and I think that is an exciting moment for people who've been around this sport.'
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
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. 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. 'We thought rather than starting on our own and competing, that finding a place where we could invest and grow a business was a better opportunity for us,' Manfred said. Kim Ng, a former Major League Baseball executive, signed on as an adviser with the AUSL and was promoted to commissioner in April. Ng is the former general manager of the Miami Marlins, the first female GM in any of the major U.S. pro sports leagues, and has three World Series rings from a combined 21 years in the front offices of the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. 'As the process moved forward and it looked like we were going to make an investment, they hired Kim, and we had a long relationship with Kim, and it just added additional comfort to the idea of making the investment,' Manfred said. Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jon Patricof said MLB's commitment to increasing the AUSL's visibility is as important as the financial investment. 'They're committed to really elevating the AUSL,' he said. 'It's probably about one of the most difficult things for any sports league to do which is to get visibility and break through to new audiences, and I think MLB is already doing that for the AUSL, and there's going to be a lot more to come.' Women's pro softball leagues and independent teams have come and gone over the years, but none have offered a consistent option for women to have a stable future in the sport. It appears that might change, with the help of softball greats Cat Osterman, Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza and Natasha Watley as AUSL advisors. On June 7, the Bandits and Talons will open with a three-game series in Rosemont, Illinois, and the Blaze and Volts will start off with a three-game series in Wichita, Kansas. The four teams will play 24 games this season as touring properties that will play games in 12 cities. The top two teams will compete in the AUSL Championship, a best-of-three series July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Patricof said the league plans to expand to six teams next season and be city based. MLB already supports several women's softball and baseball initiatives, including a partnership with USA Softball and operation of the MLB Develops girls baseball pipeline. It is not involved with the upstart Women's Professional Baseball League, which plans to launch in 2026 as the first pro baseball league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League — of "A League of Their Own" fame — folded in 1954. Manfred said he sees a bright future ahead for AUSL. 'I fully expect that they will expand, and we hope that we will end up with a league that is sustainable on its own, a good investment for us, and a partner in growing diamond sports internationally,' he said. Patricof said the partnership with MLB and the already existing relationship between the Athletes Unlimited and USA Softball combine to help give the AUSL stability. 'As we announce MLB coming into the fold formally into what we're doing with the AUSL, you really see a full alignment of this sport behind this league, and that I think is exciting for everyone,' Patricof said. ' People who have sat on the sidelines or maybe have watched pro softball from a little bit of distance — everybody's now jumped in, and I think that is an exciting moment for people who've been around this sport.' ___
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
MLB to back Athletes Unlimited Softball League ahead of inaugural season
Major League Baseball said Thursday it will invest in Athletes Unlimited, backing the organization's softball league a week before its June 7 debut. The investment is MLB's first in a professional softball league. 'Major League Baseball's investment in the AUSL represents an opportunity to support softball's long-term growth and expand our engagement with these outstanding athletes and their fans,' MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. 'As a part of our broader commitment to growing softball and creating more opportunities for women and girls in sports, this agreement reflects our confidence in Kim Ng's leadership, the AUSL vision, and the incredible talent of its athletes. During this extraordinarily exciting time for women's sports, we want softball to thrive.' Through MLB's investment for an undisclosed amount, it will support the league's operational costs and major growth initiatives. It hopes to bolster the nascent league's visibility through several MLB platforms, including airing some AUSL games on and the MLB Network — which will broadcast one of its two Opening Day games next Saturday. Ng, the former Miami Marlins executive who in 2020 became the first female general manager in MLB, was named the commissioner of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League last month. She previously served as a senior adviser to the four-team league, which will compete in paired competitions this summer. 'This is a watershed moment for women's sports and especially for softball,' Ng said. 'MLB's investment will supercharge our efforts to build the sustainable professional league this sport has long deserved, and sends a powerful message about the value of female athletes and the importance of creating professional opportunities for them. Together, we're going to reach new fans and inspire the next generation of softball players.' In Year One, AUSL teams — the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts — will play 24 games each from June 7 to July 23, and the top two teams will compete in a best-of-three series championship series July 26-28. The following month, 60 players will compete for an individual championship in the 21-game AUSL All-Star Cup — which will use Athletes Unlimited's unique scoring system. During its inaugural season, AUSL games will be contended across 12 cities. In 2026, it will become a city-based league. Athletes Unlimited has offered softball since 2020, when the broader organization was founded to oversee professional women's basketball, softball and volleyball leagues. It formerly operated a lacrosse league, which ceased operation in 2024. Its former softball program ran from 2020 to 2024, and crowned individual instead of team champions each season — a distinct format that contrasts with its current, more traditional team-based configuration. The league featured former college standouts including ex-James Madison star Odicci Alexander and Cat Osterman, a former Texas and Team USA pitcher who now serves the general manager of the Volts.
NBC Sports
4 days ago
- Business
- NBC Sports
MLB invests in Athletes Unlimited Softball League ahead of June debut
Eric Samulski dives into the closer-by-committee situation with the Detroit Tigers, sharing why Will Vest is likely the "primary option" after picking up his seventh save of the season. 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. 'We thought rather than starting on our own and competing, that finding a place where we could invest and grow a business was a better opportunity for us,' Manfred said. Kim Ng, a former Major League Baseball executive, signed on as an adviser with the AUSL and was promoted to commissioner in April. Ng is the former general manager of the Miami Marlins, the first female GM in any of the major U.S. pro sports leagues, and has three World Series rings from a combined 21 years in the front offices of the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. 'As the process moved forward and it looked like we were going to make an investment, they hired Kim, and we had a long relationship with Kim, and it just added additional comfort to the idea of making the investment,' Manfred said. Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jon Patricof said MLB's commitment to increasing the AUSL's visibility is as important as the financial investment. 'They're committed to really elevating the AUSL,' he said. 'It's probably about one of the most difficult things for any sports league to do which is to get visibility and break through to new audiences, and I think MLB is already doing that for the AUSL, and there's going to be a lot more to come.' Women's pro softball leagues and independent teams have come and gone over the years, but none have offered a consistent option for women to have a stable future in the sport. It appears that might change, with the help of softball greats Cat Osterman, Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza and Natasha Watley as AUSL advisors. On June 7, the Bandits and Talons will open with a three-game series in Rosemont, Illinois, and the Blaze and Volts will start off with a three-game series in Wichita, Kansas. The four teams will play 24 games this season as touring properties that will play games in 12 cities. The top two teams will compete in the AUSL Championship, a best-of-three series July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Patricof said the league plans to expand to six teams next season and be city based. MLB already supports several women's softball and baseball initiatives, including a partnership with USA Softball and operation of the MLB Develops girls baseball pipeline. It is not involved with the upstart Women's Professional Baseball League, which plans to launch in 2026 as the first pro baseball league for women since the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League - of 'A League of Their Own' fame - folded in 1954. Manfred said he sees a bright future ahead for AUSL. 'I fully expect that they will expand, and we hope that we will end up with a league that is sustainable on its own, a good investment for us, and a partner in growing diamond sports internationally,' he said. Patricof said the partnership with MLB and the already existing relationship between the Athletes Unlimited and USA Softball combine to help give the AUSL stability. 'As we announce MLB coming into the fold formally into what we're doing with the AUSL, you really see a full alignment of this sport behind this league, and that I think is exciting for everyone,' Patricof said. 'People who have sat on the sidelines or maybe have watched pro softball from a little bit of distance - everybody's now jumped in, and I think that is an exciting moment for people who've been around this sport.'
