Major League Baseball is investing in a new women's professional softball league, Commissioner Robert Manfred announced Thursday on "CBS Mornings."
The partnership with the Athletes Unlimited Softball League marks MLB's first major investment in women's professional sports.
MLB will broadcast select games on its network and streaming service, help with marketing and provide financial support for the league's operations.
The AUSL launches Saturday, June 7, with Opening Day games in Rosemont, Illinois, and Wichita, Kansas. The Wichita game airs exclusively on MLB Network and MLB.TV at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The league's four teams, the Bandits, Blaze, Talons and Volts, will play a 24-game season through July 23, culminating in a championship series July 26-28 at the University of Alabama's Rhoads Stadium.
The AUSL will become city-based in 2026. This inaugural season features games in 12 cities.
Single game tickets are now available, with more information at theAUSL.com.
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Analisa Novak
Analisa Novak is a content producer for CBS News and the Emmy Award-winning "CBS Mornings." Based in Chicago, she specializes in covering live events and exclusive interviews for the show. Analisa is a United States Army veteran and holds a master's degree in strategic communication from Quinnipiac University.