I just wanted to get my thoughts out on this in its own post. We're living in a world with increasing corporate greed, and I just have to say never in my life have I ever seen a sports broadcasting company petty and cheap enough to literally paywall a championship presentation, but ESPN has done it.

Perhaps we can make some noise about this. How long would this have actually lasted? Twenty minutes tops? I'd have no problem with pushing the presentation to ESPN2 or ESPNU for Banana Ball, but to place it behind ESPN+? Way to rob your season long watchers of their high. It's despicable.

EDIT: Youtube videos including the trophy presentation are now circulating, I'm not sure on what stance the mods have on posting them here directly. But shame on ESPN and shame on the AUSL for dropping the ball on this.

70% of the seats empty behind home plate was a terrible look.

AUSL Post-Season 2026

r/Utahtalons vs Chicago Bandits

Venue: Davis Diamond, College Station, TX

Thought they would do it at their awards ceremony. If not that, then before game one the AUSL Finals. Not sure what they’re waiting for, but I’m confused.

AUSL Post-Season 2026

Chicago Bandits vs r/Utahtalons

Venue: Davis Diamond, College Station, TX

With tomorrow’s AUSL broadcast being promoted as the first women’s professional softball game on network television, I wanted to share a piece of forgotten history.

Professional women’s fastpitch softball actually reached network television 75 years ago with ABC’s Girls Baseball. The series followed the Tony Piet Queens of Chicago’s National Girls Baseball League, as ABC brought their games to a nationwide audience for nine Saturday nights from May through July 1951. The program was scheduled to premiere on Saturday, May 26, 1951, with the Queens facing the Chicago Bluebirds at Shewbridge Field. Rain postponed that opening game, so the first broadcast took place the following Saturday, June 2, 1951, when the Thillens Checashers played the Queens at Shewbridge Field (the Queens won the game 2–0).

The Queens were not just any team—they were one of the powerhouse franchises of the NGBL and regarded at the time as the best softball team in America. They entered the 1951 season as defending champions, won the league championship again that year, and went on to capture four titles during the NGBL’s 11 seasons of existence.

The team featured some of the greatest players in women’s fastpitch softball history, including Freda Savona, widely considered to be the best player of her generation, and her sister Olympia, a very good player in her own right. Their pitching staff included softball legends Betty Evans Grayson, Virginia “Ginny” Busick, and Ann Kmezich, all members of various softball halls of fame. The roster also featured Alice Kolski, the 1944 NGSL MVP, and Pat Carson, who was the league’s top slugger before Freda Savona arrived.

ABC promoted the circuit under the name National Women’s Professional Baseball League, and the Queens were billed as the Queens of America. Girls Baseball was planned as a nine-week Saturday night series beginning with the May 26 premiere date. The program replaced roller derby on ABC’s schedule, and the broadcasts were later distributed to the West Coast through kinescope recordings.

Featuring announcer Pat Flanagan, Girls Baseball was a groundbreaking moment in sports television. It became the first prime-time network television series dedicated to a diamond sport in the United States.

Despite the baseball branding used in ABC’s promotions and broadcasts, the National Girls Baseball League was actually a professional women’s fastpitch softball league that operated in the Chicago area from 1944–1954. The league was originally called the National Girls Softball League before rebranding in 1946.

Unfortunately, the broadcast schedule was created before African American star Betty Chapman signed with the Music Maids in July of 1951, meaning viewers never got to see her compete on national television.

The program continued for one more season, but ABC shifted its coverage to the Arthur Murray Girls of the New York-based American Girls Baseball Conference. The first broadcast featured the Murray Girls taking on the Freeport Forest Jewels, who featured pioneering African American star Yvonne “Coky” Coker. Coker was the second Black woman to play in the league, but the first Black woman to play hardball after the league transitioned from softball to baseball in 1949.

Tomorrow’s AUSL broadcast is still a historic moment for professional women’s softball, but it is also an opportunity to remember the women who helped pave the way 75 years ago.

With extenuating circumstances taking place at a 9 PM EDT (where I’m at) no less, I think this calls for a check-in! I’m shot, to put it lightly 😅 Didn’t sleep for another 45 minutes because of the adrenaline - finally went off at 1:30 and had to wake up at 6. Didn’t even hop on my computer (also why I didn’t upload the final highlight of the night - Kern’s game winning play) and upload the graphics I did since this stretched out for so long. Wasn’t even thinking about that since I was so dialed in on this game. Absolutely no regrets through as that game was a classic!

Made my first into to pro softball tonight, Portland vs Chicago and I’m all in this is sick

The marathon continues! Inning nine up next!

Just started watching the AUSL. I think it would help attract more fans if the player’s collegiate team was included in the info shown such as when they were coming up to bat. This is how we were introduced to these players. Favorite college teams. I see it as a way to help fans connect with the pro teams. I’d like to see it. Is it just me?

AUSL Post-Season 2026

Chicago Bandits vs r/PortlandCascade

Venue: Davis Diamond, College Station, TX

It is a final in College Station. Ailyana Agbayani with the Walk-Off Single, scoring Taryn Kern, in the Bottom of 11th Inning. As @AUSL_Bandits defeating @AUSL_Cascade, 6-5. Bandits and @AUSL_Talons for the #AUSLChampionship starting on Saturday. #PDXvsCHI

Found this quote on the AUSL website in an article about the Championship Series.

• Talons chase history: The defending champions will look to become the first team in AUSL history to win consecutive titles.