‘We Had a lot to Prove’: AUSL Reaches New Highs During 2026 Season

This Athletes Unlimited Softball League season was all about breaking records. On the field, star players established a new standard for what talent and skill means.

Talons pitcher Montana Fouts, 2026 Pitcher of the Year, wrote herself a new pitching record book. She now holds records for single-game strikeouts with 12 and single-season strikeouts with 63. She holds the record for innings pitched with 62.1, and wins and complete games with seven apiece.

On the offensive side, Megan Grant and Maya Brady both broke home run records by surpassing nine. Brady came out on top with 11 to set the bar high.

These statistics showcase no lack of talent amongst the best players in the nation, but several other records deserve significant recognition.

The AUSL saw immense growth across all platforms. Sellouts, sponsorships, and viewership numbers only begin scratch the surface at what the future of the league holds.

We heard from Commissioner Kim Ng and Jon Patricof, CEO of Athletes Unlimited on this season’s numbers and the plans for 2027. Ng said, “we have a lot to prove.” Just 15 months ago, many were unaware of the pro softball scene, and this summer, everyone’s jumped on board.

The Numbers

This season, AUSL games played in front of 25 sold-out crowds, including both championship series games. Of these 25 sellouts, 11 of them were in Portland for Cascade home games. This season marked AUSL’s first time playing in Portland, and the city showed up to support them.

Games were available across ESPN, MLB TV, CBS Sports Network, and the championship game one aired on ABC, marking the first professional softball game on broadcast television. The game averaged 732,000 viewers, making it the most watched pro softball game ever.

Throughout the regular season, viewership on ESPN increased 138% from the previous year. Notably, AUSL’s ten most watched games all happened this season, setting new highs and standards for seasons to come.

On socials, the league garnered 453 million impressions (up 97%) and 137 million views (up 139%). They also gained over 400,000 new followers across platforms.

The growth and development this season is hard to miss. From content popping up all over social media, to expanded partnerships with brands like Adidas and Sephora, the AUSL went all in this year and fans brought the exact energy they needed.

What’s up with Portland?

This season, the Portland Cascade were founded as an expansion team in a city that pro softball had yet to visit. During the 2025 touring model, the AUSL never went to Portland, and it wasn’t even a city they visited as a host of a potential expansion team.

“When we were discussing home cities for 2026, [Commissioner Ng] was the one who came out and really suggested Portland…It was not one of the cities we visited so it was a big risk,” said AU CEO Jon Patricof.

To some surprise, Portland’s fan base grew rapidly. With 11 sellouts and a committed group of new fans, Portland became many peoples favorite team, even when living nowhere near the Cascade’s home field in Hillsboro, Oregon.

It’s hard to pin down exactly what Portland’s appeal is and why they were so quick to support. Ng said, “That’s just who Portlanders and Oregonians are. Their tagline is ‘the epicenter of women’s sports,’ there was definitely a sense from our side that they would show up.”

Everyone Wants More Softball

After the conclusion of an incredible season, the major critique from fans is that they simply wanted more softball. With play just running through June and July and teams only playing a 25-game season, fans want more.

Commissioner Ng says a longer season “is definitely on the table,” though they won’t be adding more teams for the 2027 season. Solidifying fan bases in the already active six city markets is key for growth.

“The intent was always to be [in the original six cities] for the long term,” said Ng. “We want to make sure the foundation of this league is extraordinarily solid, stable, and is set for tremendous growth in the future.”

“Expansion is there on the horizon for sure, but can’t tell you exactly when,” she added.

The great thing about the AUSL is its innate connection to other women’s sports leagues and fans. “It’s part of the equation of women’s sports, which is to collaborate and work together and grow the market together,” said Patricof.

Patricof adds, “The other thing about the women’s sports ecosystem is the collaboration across leagues is tremendous. We speak to and coordinate with leagues, whether it’s the WBNA, NWSL…we’re always sharing best practices. People are so open and there’s so much sharing going on.”

“It’s an overall sense of the growth and the momentum we had,” said Patricof. “I could not be more excited about where we are today and where we’re going.”