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MLB Announces Exciting News on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated May 29, 2025 10:31 AM ET

In an exciting move, Major League Baseball has announced a strategic investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), which is set to launch on June 7.

This marks MLB’s first formal partnership with a professional women’s league and is aimed at raising visibility and long-term sustainability. With financial backing from softball legends and the league’s strong organizational foundation, AUSL could become a cornerstone of professional women’s sports in America.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred expressed his enthusiasm in a statement to the Associated Press:

“This is something we’re really excited about. We studied the space hard. We think it’s a real opportunity and we’re excited to be involved.”

MLB made the official announcement Thursday morning:

"Major League Baseball today announced a strategic investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), marking a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive partnership with a women’s professional sports league."

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Opening Day for the inaugural AUSL season is set for Saturday, June 7, with games taking place in Rosemont, Illinois, and Wichita, Kansas.

According to a report by Front Office Sports, MLB’s investment in the league is believed to be in the eight-figure range, although exact terms were not disclosed. The league will feature four teams — the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts — playing a 30-game season in 10 different cities using a traditional format. A best-of-three AUSL Championship series will be held July 26-28 at University of Alabama's Rhoads Stadium.

Player salaries range from $40,000 to $50,000, with potential bonuses bringing that figure up to $75,000.

The first player selected in the inaugural AUSL draft was Lexi Kilfoyl by the Bandits. Kilfoyl pitched at Alabama from 2020 to 2022 before transferring to Oklahoma State, where she earned Big 12 Pitcher of the Year honors in 2024.

Kim Ng serves as the league’s commissioner. She joined AUSL as a senior advisor in July 2024 and was named commissioner in April 2025. Ng brings decades of baseball experience to the role. She began her career with the Chicago White Sox as assistant director of baseball operations in 1990.

She later served as assistant general manager for the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers before becoming general manager of the Miami Marlins from 2021 to 2023.

Ng was part of the Yankees’ front office during their three straight World Series championships from 1998 to 2000 and was named one of the “25 Most Powerful Women in Sports” by Bleacher Report in 2014.

MLB Softball Ambassadors Jennie Finch, Natasha Watley, Jessica Mendoza and Cat Osterman also are part of the AUSL leadership team.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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