AUSL championship becomes most-watched professional softball game ever

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USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The 2026 AUSL championship became the most-watched professional softball game on record, as the softball league continued to report strong viewership in its second season.

The championship game between the Utah Talons and Chicago Bandits averaged 732,000 viewers on ABC Sunday, a record for a softball game. The game was the first professional softball game to air on broadcast television.

Overall, according to Sports Business Journal, ESPN games averaged 375,000 viewers, up 150% from last year. Games also aired on MLB Network and CBS Sports Network.

“It just continued to build, crowds grew, ratings grew as the season went, and sponsor activation grew as we went as well,” Athletes Unlimited co-founder and CEO Jon Patricof told Sports Business Journal.

The AUSL made a notable change for the 2026 season, moving teams back to their home markets after they toured in 2025. The league recorded 25 sellouts in 2026, with the Portland Cascades accounting for nearly half.

While professional softball is making significant gains, college softball remains the sport’s biggest television draw. Viewership for the AUSL continues to trail college softball. This year, Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series between Texas Tech and Texas averaged 2.48 million viewers across ESPN and ESPNU, making it the most-watched college softball game ever.

The AUSL is the latest women’s professional league to benefit from growing television audiences. The WNBA continues to post record ratings, while newer leagues such as the PWHL and League One Volleyball also delivered strong audiences this year.

However, it is not all good news, as the AUSL may be facing some indirect competition for the first time. The Women’s Pro Baseball League will begin its inaugural season in August. For now, the two leagues do not appear to be competing directly. The AUSL season ended before the WPBL begins, but it is unclear whether that will remain the case in the future.

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