On Dec. 10, 2025, the Professional Softball League (PSL) announced its formation and a TV partnership with the All Women’s Sports Network (AWSN). giving fastpitch another major place to land on the streaming map.
According to AWSN, PSL’s inaugural season will begin in June 2026 and run through late July, with games airing live worldwide on the network.
Seven previously independent teams are coming together under one league structure. One report mentioned that the goal is a consistent schedule, standings, and a postseason pathway rather than a one-off touring setup.
PSL teams for the 2026 season
- Atlanta Smoke (Atlanta, GA)
- Chattanooga Chill (Chattanooga, TN)
- Florida Breeze (Tampa Bay, FL)
- Florida Heat (Viera, FL)
- Florida Vibe (Bradenton, FL)
- KC Diamonds (Kansas City, KS)
- New York Rise (New York, NY)
Florida is coming strong with three teams included.
What is the Professional Softball League
This isn’t a single touring squad or a loose collection of exhibitions. According to AWSN, PSL is moving to a single league structure with standardized standings and a postseason route, built around seven member teams from across the U.S.
Each club can carry up to 20 players. AWSN noted PSL teams will sign players to pro contracts, host open tryouts, and offer multiple paths for prospects to earn roster spots, with more competitive-format details coming later.
For updates, PSL’s official hub is already live at professionalsoftballleague.com.
Previous pro softball leagues
Pro softball has a real history in the U.S., even if the leagues haven’t always stuck around. National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) is the big reference point for many fans, and Wikipedia notes it ran from 2004 to 2021, after earlier years under the Women’s Pro Softball League name.
When NPF shut down, it wasn’t subtle. In an official statement carried by the NFCA, the league said it was suspending operations effective immediately in August 2021, pointing to lost revenue after the canceled 2020 and 2021 seasons tied to COVID disruptions and Olympic timing.
The sport didn’t pause for long. NFCA reported that Women’s Professional Fastpitch (WPF) was set to kick off in June 2022, with USA Softball designated as a co-founder. And on the newer-model side, ESPN reported Athletes Unlimited launched its pro softball championship format in 2020, then announced a more traditional team league structure starting in 2025.
Where to watch PSL games
When it comes to watching the PSL in June 2026, AWSN’s “Where to Watch” page covers all bases. It also highlights that you’ll be able to find games on:
- Pluto TV (free, ad-supported)
- Amazon Prime Video
- DIRECTV
- VIZIO (WatchFree+)
As Sports Illustrated reported, having these games on major platforms like Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, and DIRECTV, will make the action easy to consume.
Women’s sports TV growth is real in the U.S.
One of the most interesting aspects of women’s sports is its growth. Sports Business Journal reported that WNBA games across ESPN networks, including ABC, averaged about 1.3 million viewers in 2025.
Reuters also cited the 1.3 million regular-season average (via Nielsen reporting) and added that postseason viewing rose year over year too.
The key is that distribution is shifting as growth continues. For instance, Variety covered DIRECTV’s MyFree DIRECTV push in 2024, a free, ad-supported streaming service that shows AWSN. This distribution across major networks puts women’s sports in front of more people than ever.
AWSN fits this new distribution mix and includes partnerships and programming tied to UEFA, Athletes Unlimited, FIBA, and the WNBL. It’s not a one-league or sport channel.
Looking ahead, this growth may continue to climb. Data from Nielsen shows global interest in women’s sports hit 50% of the general population in 2024, up from 45% in 2022. And Reuters, using Nielsen projections, highlighted that women’s soccer could become a top-five global sport by 2030, with 800 million-plus fans in sight. That is amazing.
That’s why the PSL-AWSN pairing feels timely. The audience is already training itself to look for women’s sports in more places, more often.
