With the backing of Major League Baseball, Athletes Unlimited announces the first-ever pro softball league with official MLB support
In a historic move, Major League Baseball is partnering with Athletes Unlimited to launch a professional women’s softball league, set to debut in August 2025. This marks the first time in its 150-year history that MLB has directly supported the creation of a women’s professional league.
The new league will feature four teams and a 30-game season, offering a long-overdue professional path for elite softball players in the U.S. after college.
“This is a historic moment,” said Jon Patricof, CEO and co-founder of Athletes Unlimited, in an interview with CBS News. “Having Major League Baseball join us as a partner reflects the growing recognition that women’s sports are worthy of the same level of investment, attention, and respect.”
The End of the Roadblock for Softball Stars
For years, top-tier athletes like Cat Osterman, Odicci Alexander, and Aleshia Ocasio found themselves without a long-term pro league despite massive success in college and international play. While NCAA softball has gained major TV audiences and Olympic softball has a global fan base, the professional gap was stark.
This league aims to change the game entirely—both in visibility and sustainability.
“This is about creating a real, lasting opportunity for women in softball to play professionally and be celebrated for it,” said Patricof. “For too long, these players had nowhere to go.”
Backed by Both MLB and USA Softball
Unlike traditional top-down leagues, this new model will follow Athletes Unlimited’s innovative structure—emphasizing athlete leadership, community building, and individual stats that contribute to weekly leaderboard rankings. The league will also be sanctioned by USA Softball, meaning players remain eligible for Olympic play, an essential element heading into the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
In addition to financial support, MLB will offer marketing and operational assistance and help integrate the new league into the broader ecosystem of professional sports.
Kenny Gersh, MLB’s executive vice president of media and business development, emphasized that the move isn’t symbolic—it’s strategic.
“We think the time is right to invest and really help grow the sport,” Gersh told CBS News. “We want to be there at the ground level to help make this a success.”
A Cultural Shift with Real Momentum
The announcement comes during a banner year for women’s sports, as audiences rally around WNBA stars, NCAA championships break viewership records, and NIL deals turn college athletes into cultural icons. MLB’s decision to back women’s softball sends a clear signal: the future of sports must include women at every level.
It also aligns with a wave of institutional shifts in women’s sports—from ESPN’s expanded WNBA coverage to U.S. Soccer’s equal pay deal—that is redefining what investment looks like.
What It Means for Neon Gurl Readers
This isn’t just a sports story. It’s a business story, a visibility story, and a cultural shift that reflects what Neon Gurl is all about: women leading, redefining the rules, and demanding space in arenas once closed to them.
As the league takes shape, we’ll be covering the players to watch, the evolution of the fan base, and the business model that could change the way women’s pro leagues are built.
