Professional softball looking for ‘viable’ options to expand amid growth of women’s sports

May 28, 2024

College softball has seen “monumental growth” over the past decade, but there still “isn’t currently a viable pro option for past and current collegiate softball stars to continue building their brands or for diehard fans to follow,” according to Colton Sulley of the OKLAHOMAN. The broadening of the college game comes as the rise in popularity of women’s professional sports leagues around the country is “at an all-time high.”

Athletes Unlimited inked a multiyear broadcast deal with ESPN earlier this year after AU Pro Softball “posted a 38% year-over-year increase in 2023.” The league also signed a five-year stadium lease extension for its Illinois complex, “providing a stable home in Chicago.”  SBJ