Major League Baseball announces investment in new pro softball league

(CNN) — Major League Baseball is purchasing a stake in Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) as part of its efforts to grow the league ahead of its inaugural season, MLB said in a statement Thursday.

The league will work to help raise the profile of the AUSL and its athletes through editorial, social media activities, marketing, events and distribution, airing some AUSL games on MLB Network and MLB.com, according to the statement.

MLB purchased an equity stake worth more than 20% in the company, a source told ESPN senior MLB Insider Jeff Passan.

The AUSL, which launches this year, will feature four teams – the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Vaults – playing 24 games each against one another between June 7 and July 23.

The top two teams will then compete in a best-of-three series, held between July 26 and 28.

“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,” AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng said in a statement.

“Together, we’re going to reach new fans and inspire the next generation of softball players.”

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred added: “During this extraordinarily exciting time for women’s sports, we want softball to thrive. MLB is committed to help build a sustainable and impactful league that drives fandom, serves the softball community, and benefits all female athletes.”

Women’s elite sports revenues are projected to reach a record $2.35 billion this year, according to Deloitte, more than triple the market size in 2022 – though the underlying context of the report was that disparities between sports, markets, and even within leagues persist.