Game 1 of the 2026 AUSL Championship Series averaged 732,000 viewers on ABC, the largest audience on record for a professional softball game. AUSL and Athletes Unlimited leaders shared the figure at the league’s postseason press conference on July 29, along with Commissioner Kim Ng‘s plans for 2027.
The Utah Talons beat the Chicago Bandits 2-1 in that game on July 25 at Davis Diamond in College Station, Texas. Georgina Corrick pitched a complete game. It was the first professional softball game broadcast on network television, and the Talons went on to sweep the series the next day.
The 2026 numbers
Jon Patricof, CEO and co-founder of Athletes Unlimited, gave the league’s season figures:
- Ratings for AUSL games on ESPN rose 150% from 2025. Those games averaged 375,000 viewers, according to Awful Announcing.
- 25 games sold out, and attendance climbed through the second half of the season.
- Merchandise sales rose 110%.
- The league’s social media accounts gained nearly 450,000 followers.
The AUSL played its first season in dedicated home markets in 2026 and added two expansion teams, the Portland Cascade and the Oklahoma City Spark. National broadcasts also aired on MLB Network and CBS Sports Network.
“This is not about any one metric,” Patricof said. “I think it’s an overall sense of the growth, the momentum that we have.”
Six teams in 2027
Ng said the league will keep six teams for the 2027 season and expects all six to stay in their current markets for the long term. She called further expansion “on the horizon” and said adding games to the 25-game regular season is “on the table.”
“We want to make sure that the foundation of this league is extraordinarily solid, stable and is set for tremendous growth in the future.”
Ng also pointed to the rookie class, naming Reese Atwood, Megan Grant and Karlyn Pickens among its stars. Atwood was named Rookie of the Year, and Grant hit 10 home runs.
What was the most-watched professional softball game?
Game 1 of the 2026 AUSL Championship Series, the Utah Talons’ 2-1 win over the Chicago Bandits on July 25, 2026. It averaged 732,000 viewers on ABC.
Will the AUSL expand in 2027?
No. Commissioner Kim Ng said the league will stay at six teams in 2027, with further expansion “on the horizon.”
How many games did the AUSL play in 2026?
Each team played 25 regular-season games. Ng said adding more games is “on the table” for future seasons.
About the AUSL. The Athletes Unlimited Softball League is a professional softball league featuring six teams across major U.S. markets. Commissioner Kim Ng leads the league, whose games air on ESPN, ABC, CBS Sports Network and MLB Network.
Sources: MLB.com: 2026 marked year of growth in AUSL viewership, attendance and more; Awful Announcing: AUSL championship becomes most-watched professional softball game ever; AUSL: Championship Game 1 box score; AUSL 2026 stats. Featured photo: AUSL.
About Aspen Eighty
Aspen Eighty is a female-founded, independent digital publication covering the Athletes Unlimited Softball League. We publish news, season coverage, and player profiles for all six AUSL teams. Our mission is to amplify women’s professional softball and inspire the next generation of athletes.
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