Full Breakdown
Historic AUSL Postseason Marks First Network-Televised Professional Softball
7/24/2026, 1:58:05 PM
Core Event: Play-In Game and Championship Series Launch
The 2026 Athletes Unlimited Softball League postseason opens with a single-elimination play-in on July 23 on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. No. 2 seed Chicago Bandits face No. 3 seed Portland Cascade at Davis Diamond, Texas A&M. The winner meets No. 1 seed Utah Talons in a best-of-three series, with Game 1 on July 25 at 1 p.m. ET on ABC—the first professional softball game broadcast on a U.S. network. Game 2 follows on July 26 at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN; a possible Game 3 is set for July 27 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. All games will also air in Spanish on ESPN Deportes.
Background & Context
The league grew from four to six teams this season, adding the Portland Cascade. The playoff format now includes a play-in between the second- and third-place teams, while the top seed receives a direct berth to the championship series. Utah Talons and Chicago Bandits finished tied at 16-9; the Talons earned the top seed via a head-to-head tiebreaker.
Data & Statistics
- Average 198,000 viewers for the 2026 season, a +183 % increase over the prior year.
- Utah Talons and Chicago Bandits each posted a 16-9 record.
- Chicago won 12 of its final 14 games to secure the No. 2 seed.
- Portland Cascade finished third in its inaugural season; rookie Megan Grant hit 10 home runs.
On-the-Ground Report
The play-in game extended into extra innings, the longest contest in the league’s two-year history. Tied 3-3 after nine innings, the teams remained deadlocked through the tenth. Portland led 4-3 in the 11th, but Chicago tied and then won on Ailana Agbayani’s decisive single, advancing to the championship series.
Official Statements & Responses
Allie Kleva, chief growth officer of Athletes Unlimited, said the partnership with Disney’s “Toy Story 5” activation aims to broaden the league’s audience. Executive producer Cheri Kempf noted the routine use of player-mic technology, which adds live audio from athletes and umpires to broadcasts.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our mission right now is to grow this league, to grow our audience, to introduce professional softball and our athletes to folks across the country,” — Allie Kleva
- “We did it in August 2020 for the first time, and now we do it all the time,” — Cheri Kempf
Why It Matters / Impact
The ABC telecast marks a milestone for women’s professional sports, delivering unprecedented exposure on a major network. Disney’s involvement—including a pre-game parade with Woody and Jessie—highlights growing corporate support for emerging women’s leagues. The league’s mic-up system, with two players per team equipped with Q5X PlayerMics, lets commentators interview athletes in real time, offering viewers direct insight into on-field strategy.
What’s Next
The league will launch its All-Star Cup on August 8, featuring a 45-player roster selected by fans and the commissioner, with games at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois, continuing the push to expand the fan base and showcase elite talent.
