AUSL broadcast schedule announced

• Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts Rosters Feature Players from Past 11 NCAA Championship Teams and 50 All-Americans
• All 12 College Players Drafted Sign with AUSL Teams
• National Distribution Partners Include ESPN Platforms, MLB Network, MLB.com, FanDuel Sports Network and All Women’s Sports Network, with
• Regional Coverage Across MSG Network, NESN, Fox 32 Chicago,
• Marquee Sports Network, and SportsNet Pittsburgh

The future of professional softball in the United States begins this weekend, as the inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) launches with Opening Day on Saturday, June 7th in Rosemont, Illinois and Wichita, Kansas. The AUSL – which just last week announced an historic partnership with Major League Baseball – today is unveiling its full broadcast schedule and distribution partners, the collection of broadcast talent that will call the games, and the final rosters of its four teams, which combined feature 50 All-Americans, players from each of the past 11 NCAA Championship teams dating back to 2013, as well as all 12 of the college players drafted by AUSL teams last month.

During this inaugural season, the AUSL’s four teams – the Bandits, Blaze, Talons, and Volts – will play 24 games each from June 7 to July 23, culminating with the top two teams competing in the AUSL Championship, a best-of-three series to be held July 26-28 at the University of Alabama’s Rhoads Stadium. Following the AUSL Championship, 60 players will compete to be crowned as the individual champion in the AUSL All-Star Cup, a 21-game competition in August featuring the innovative Athletes Unlimited scoring system.

The AUSL will become a city-based league beginning in 2026, while in its inaugural season it will be a touring property featuring games in 12 different cities. The full AUSL schedule, including broadcast information, can be found below and here, while single-game tickets are available here. More information can be found at theAUSL.com.

The AUSL will feature the broadest distribution for any season of any sport in the history of Athletes Unlimited, and marks an unprecedented level of broadcast distribution for professional softball in the U.S. Highlights of the AUSL’s broadcast partners and game schedule include:

• ESPN platforms will exclusively air a total of 40 AUSL games throughout the AUSL Regular Season and All-Star Cup, beginning June 10 (Talons vs. Bandits at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2). ESPN2 will also be the exclusive home of the AUSL Championship July 26-28.
• MLB Network will exclusively air five games, beginning with Opening Day (Volts vs. Blaze at 7:30 p.m. ET). All five of those games will also be simulcast on MLB.TV.
• MLB.com, MLB.TV and the MLB App will also stream – with no subscription required – every game not carried by ESPN platforms (a total of 32 games during the AUSL Regular Season).
• FanDuel Sports Network (FDSN) will deliver every available non-ESPN and non-MLB Network game to their regional outlets and affiliates across the country, totaling 27 games.
• MSG Networks and Fox 32 Chicago will also carry all 27 of the non-ESPN and non-MLB Network games
• The NESN family (home of the Boston Red Sox with linear channels NESN and NESN+ along with a FAST Channel, NESN Nation) will carry a combined 24 games across the three platforms.
• Marquee Sports Network (home of the Chicago Cubs) will carry 20 games.
• SportsNet Pittsburgh (home of the Pittsburgh Pirates) and SportsNet Pittsburgh+ will carry a combined 10 games across their linear platforms.
• AWSN (All-Women’s Sports Network) will carry 19 games.

Amanda Scarborough will serve as the primary color commentator for the season, with analysis for additional games provided by a rotating group that will include Danielle Lawrie, Jessica Mendoza, Natasha Watley and Kenzie Fowler. Play-by-play duties will be shared by AU veterans Eric Collins, Chuckie Kempf and Mark Neely, while Savanna Collins will serve as the on-field reporter. All games are produced by Athletes Unlimited’s award-winning broadcast team, led by Chief Broadcast Officer and Executive Producer Cheri Kempf, in partnership with Game Time Productions.

“This level of broadcast distribution is truly unprecedented in the history of professional softball in the United States,” Cheri Kempf said. “To have games airing across so many major platforms throughout the inaugural season of the AUSL is a game-changer – not just for our athletes, but for fans everywhere who now have consistent, high-quality access to the sport they love. It’s a powerful statement about where softball is headed and the belief our partners have in its future.”

In addition to unprecedented broadcast coverage, the AUSL will also feature 12 college stars making their professional debuts in the U.S. immediately following the conclusion of their college careers. All 12 of the college players who received Golden Tickets and were drafted by AUSL teams have signed with the AUSL, including USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Bri Ellis of Arkansas, as well as Women’s College World Series participants Sam Landry of Oklahoma and Korbe Otis of Florida.

Additional highlights of the AUSL rosters include:

• Bandits: General Manager Jenny Dalton-Hill and Head Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz have assembled a squad led by No. 1 overall Inaugural Draft pick Lexi Kilfoyl, Team USA members Bubba Nickles-Camarena (who also won a national championship with UCLA in 2019) and Skylar Wallace, and pitching standout Odicci Alexander.
• Blaze: General Manager Dana Sorensen and Head Coach Alisa Goler’s team features former national champions Aleshia Ocasio (Florida, 2015) and Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma, 2013), Team USA’s Carley Hoover and Aubrey Leach, as well as former LSU outfielder Aliyah Andrews and recent Duke graduate Ana Gold.
• Talons: General Manager Lisa Fernandez and Head Coach Howard Dobson’s roster includes Ellis, former UCLA stars Maya Brady and 2019 NCAA champion Megan Faraimo, along with two-time national champion Sydney Romero (Oklahoma, 2016-17), and former Alabama standout Montana Fouts.
• Volts: General Manager Cat Osterman and Head Coach Kelly Kretschman have put together a squad featuring national champions Tiare Jennings (Oklahoma, 2021-24) Rachel Garcia (UCLA, 2019), Kelsey Stewart-Hunter (Florida, 2014-15) and Jessi Warren (Florida State, 2018), along with recent Florida State grad Michaela Edenfield and Team USA’s Amanda Lorenz and Dejah Mulipola.

Ten players will join their teams in the AUSL’s second week after finishing their seasons in Japan. Those roster spots will be temporarily filled with players from the AUSL’s reserve pool, which teams will also have access to in the event of injuries throughout the season.

In addition to its broadcast partners, AUSL’s roster of corporate support includes DICK’S Sporting Goods, Gatorade, Goody, Marucci, Mizuno, Nike, Noughty, Rawlings and Sequel.

The AUSL is part of Athletes Unlimited (AU), which was co-founded in 2020 by Jon Patricof (who also serves as CEO) and Jonathan Soros, and named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. In addition to the AUSL, AU owns and operates a portfolio of professional women’s sports leagues including basketball and volleyball properties. The AUSL is led by Commissioner Kim Ng – who was previously the first woman to be named General Manager of a major American men’s professional sports team (Miami Marlins, 2020-23) – while AUSL advisors include softball legends Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza, Cat Osterman and Natasha Watley.

“After months of planning and years of anticipation, Opening Day of the AUSL will be a landmark moment for the sport of softball,” Ng said. “The rosters are stacked with many of the game’s most dynamic and talented players, and the enthusiasm from athletes, coaches, fans, business partners, and the broader women’s sports community has been incredible. It’s clear that the entire sport is rallying behind this league, and we’re proud to support a movement that’s pushing softball forward in such an exciting and meaningful way.”