Along with the U.S women’s volleyball league, Athletes Unlimited is launching a new softball league as well. The season kick’s off on August 30, and teams will play six weeks. Games will be played at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois.
Co-founder Jon Patricof had this to say about the new softball league. “We think there is a real opportunity to grow the game at the pro level, we are taking place after the conclusion of the NPF season, so players who play in the NPF can play throughout the season there and then join Athletes Unlimited for six weeks. Our goal as an organization is to collaborate throughout the softball community.”
Format and Scoring System
Players will have a chance to earn about $35,000 in the league’s first season. It will be different from other sports leagues; it will be no team owners, general managers, or a standard team format. Each week, the top four players will be team captains and will get to pick their teams. Athletes will be able to recruit fellow pros, create league rules, and earn equity in the league.
Athletes Unlimited will be unleashing a new scoring system for the players. The athletes can score points as individuals and as a team to win MVP titles and cash bonuses. Each week, players and fans will get a chance to vote for their MVP. Here is a graphic of the scoring system:
Professional Softball Players Ready to Play
A lot of professional softball players have agreed to play in the Athletes Unlimited softball league. Players like A.J. Andrews, Kelly Barnhill, Kylan Becker, Caleigh Clifton, Emily Crane, Sara Groenewegen, Victoria Hayward, Abby Ramirez, Jade Rhodes, Randi Rupp, DJ Sanders, Samantha Show, Gwen Svekis and Haylie Wagner.
It will be an incredible opportunity for women to showcase their skills past the college level. At the end of college, softball players usually have nowhere to go; with this new league, it will give the players something to look forward to. It will be exciting to see how the league works with a different scoring system and how the teams will be constructed weekly.
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