Unlimited Coverage: ESPN and Athletes Unlimited Announce Multi-Year Extension, Broadcasting League's Softball, Basketball, and Volleyball Games

Following a wildly successful season of Athletes Unlimited Softball, ESPN and AU have announced a multi-year rights extension that expands the network's role as a broadcast partner.

What’s Happening: 

• Following a successful inaugural season of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), ESPN and Athletes Unlimited (AU) have announced a multi-year rights extension that strengthens ESPN’s role as an official broadcast partner for AU’s professional leagues in softball, basketball, and volleyball. 
• The expanded agreement deepens ESPN’s investment in women’s sports and reflects its ongoing commitment to spotlighting top-tier female athletes across its networks.
• As part of this three-year agreement, ESPN will carry 50 exclusive AUSL games annually beginning in 2026, including 47 regular season matchups and the best of three-game AUSL Championship Series. Coverage will span ESPN networks, highlighted by a marquee game on ABC -  the first time professional softball will ever air on broadcast television in the U.S. 
• This long-term commitment comes on the heels of a breakout AUSL debut season that attracted a growing fanbase of softball followers and new professional sports fans alike.
• In its inaugural season, the AUSL delivered strong performances across key metrics, signaling significant momentum for the future of women’s professional softball. AUSL’s viewership on ESPN rose 88% year‑over‑year (across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU) compared to the prior season, with the Championship Series averaging 230,000 viewers on ESPN. 
• In addition, the league sold out 24 games, merchandise sales topped $1 million, and digital engagement surged, with over 237 million social media impressions and 450,000 new followers gained.
• As part of the expanded partnership, coverage of Athletes Unlimited’s basketball and volleyball competitions will grow significantly, with all 24 games from each season airing annually on ESPN networks. This increased carriage represents a meaningful step forward in elevating the visibility of both sports, offering a prominent platform through which fans can more easily discover, follow, and engage with the leagues.

What They’re Saying: 

• “The growth we’ve seen across Athletes Unlimited’s leagues speaks to the power and appeal of women’s sports,” said Rosalyn Durant, ESPN Executive Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions. “We’re excited to deepen our partnership and bring even more of these moments and athletes to fans everywhere.”
• “ESPN has played a pivotal role in the success of Athletes Unlimited, giving our world-class athletes the opportunity to shine on the most prominent stage in sports, and serving as the undisputed home for fans of softball, basketball and volleyball,” said Cheri Kempf, Chief Broadcast Officer of Athletes Unlimited. “This renewed and expanded partnership affirms the strength of our properties and reflects the growing enthusiasm for women’s professional sports. We are excited to continue collaborating with ESPN’s outstanding team to elevate the AUSL, AU Pro Basketball and the AU Pro Volleyball Championship even further and deliver exceptional experiences for fans and brands alike.”

Unlimited Information: 

• ​​Athletes Unlimited (AU) is a U.S.-based professional sports organization founded in 2020 that’s reimagining how professional women’s sports leagues are structured and operated. 
• Instead of using traditional team ownership models, AU uses a player-driven, point-based format and rotating teams giving athletes a unique role in how the league runs.
• The league features a player-centric model, where athletes share in league governance and have a voice in decisions about rules, community initiatives, and operations. There are also no fixed teams, and players are re-drafted every week into new teams, based on individual leaderboards.
• Athletes earn points not only for team wins but also for individual performance, and the player with the most points at season’s end is crowned the Athletes Unlimited Champion.
• The aforementioned softball league was launched in 2020, and was the founding league of AU, featuring top U.S. and International softball players. Since then, AU has launched a volleyball, lacrosse, and basketball league.