Athletes Unlimited Softball League adds strategic investors, including Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, as it gears up for its second full season starting June 9 with six teams and expanded media reach.
By the time June 9 arrives, Athletes Unlimited Softball League won’t just be counting down to first pitch—it’ll be leaning on new financial backing that brings major-league weight into a pro sport still fighting for mainstream gravity.
On Thursday, June 4, AUSL announced a new group of strategic investors that includes Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. Ryan’s partners with Ryan Sanders Baseball—Reid Ryan and Don Sanders—also investing in the league.
The Brewers’ involvement is the first direct investment by an MLB club in AUSL, deepening ties that have been forming across the sport. For AUSL’s leadership, it’s the kind of validation that changes the conversation from “potential” to “commitment.”
“The momentum just continues to build. It’s building for softball as a whole and the AUSL is seeing that momentum on every level. and so we couldn’t be more excited to be bringing in the Brewers and Ryan Sanders. I think it’s a testament to their belief in the opportunity and the future ahead. ” Jon Patricof. CEO and co-founder of Athletes Unlimited. said. “For us, not only their capital, but their expertise are going to be hugely valuable.”.
AUSL has already been building relationships with MLB and with Ryan Sanders Baseball. MLB invested in the league last year and has broadcast games on its network as part of their partnership. Ryan Sanders Baseball operates two minor league teams—the Round Rock Express and the Corpus Christi Hooks—and serves as the AUSL’s operating partner of the Texas Volts.
This season’s team structure makes those connections more concrete. The Texas Volts drafted Texas Tech superstar pitcher NiJaree Canady with the No. 2 overall pick this season. The Volts will play at the Ryan Sanders-operated Dell Diamond ballpark in Round Rock, Texas.
Patricof framed the moment as proof that AUSL is building something meant to last. “I think people look at the track record that Athletes Unlimited has in the sport now and understand that we’re here to stay. that we’re big believers in building a sustainable long-term softball league. and I think that that’s resonated. ” he said. “You’re seeing more and more organizations recognize that this sport is a national phenomenon.”.
A league’s calendar becomes a test when money and visibility start arriving together—and AUSL is preparing for that test right now. The announcement comes as the league gears up to launch its second season, with games beginning on June 9.
The AUSL will be led by Commissioner Kim Ng, the former general manager of the Miami Marlins. The league enters its second full season after an inaugural campaign that included 24 sellouts and more than $1 million in merchandise sales. Last year, it ran as a barnstorming setup, with four teams playing games in 10 different cities. This season marks a shift to permanence, with six teams playing in permanent home markets.
Those home markets include Round Rock, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Durham, North Carolina; Portland, Oregon; Chicago; and Salt Lake City. In Durham, the Carolina Blaze had the No. 1 overall draft pick and selected Tennessee pitcher Karlyn Pickens. The Volts took Canady with the second pick.
Behind the roster moves is another signal about where the attention is heading. Patricof pointed to demand that has shown up beyond the league itself.
“I think what the ratings show. what the interest we saw last summer in our tour. is that this sport is resonating with fans across the country. ” he said. “That momentum from the College World Series – we’re very confident is going to spill over into the AUSL. And obviously, as we head into 2028 with the Olympics, there’s a tremendous amount of momentum broadly. I think for any pro league to survive. you need to be part of a healthy ecosystem. and I think we’re very much big believers in that.”.
What that ecosystem looks like is increasingly measurable. Viewership in women’s college softball is rising: ESPN said it averaged 1.5 million viewers through 14 games for the Women’s College World Series games preceding the final series between Texas and Texas Tech. making it the most-watched pre-finals on record for the WCWS. ESPN also said overall viewership is up 33% year over year.
AUSL says it plans to push that momentum through a broad broadcast footprint. This season, more than 90 games will be distributed across ESPN platforms, CBS Sports Network and MLB Network. The league also added partners including Sephora and Adidas, with Adidas serving as the league’s official uniform outfitter. Rawlings will hand out its Gold Glove award to the top defender in AUSL.
For Patricof, the difference isn’t just access to games—it’s how widely those games are being packaged. “Having the games accessible are a big deal. but it’s really also getting their promotional. marketing support and editorial support. and we’re starting to see that in ways that we really have never seen before for pro softball. ” he said. “I think that’s a huge shift and a huge new development that I think we’re excited to benefit from.”.
Athletes Unlimited Softball League AUSL Nolan Ryan Mark Attanasio Milwaukee Brewers Kim Ng ESPN MLB Network CBS Sports Network NiJaree Canady Texas Volts Dell Diamond Round Rock women's softball