The AUSL pro fastpitch softball league just announced the home cities of each of its 6 teams, and it’s a shocker!
The AUSL debuted in 2025 with 4 teams that went on a barnstorming tour around the country but were not attached to a specific city. In 2026 there are 6 teams, and each now has a geographical home.
We have the Chicago Bandits, Carolina Blaze, Portland Cascade, Oklahoma City Spark, Utah Talons, and Texas Volts.
I am both very shocked and very pleased by this city arrangement. Mostly because the teams are spread out across the country. The prior pro softball league, the NPF, had 4-6 teams but kept them confined in a relatively small geographic area in the Midwest and south primarily to save on travel costs. Hearing these cities it seems very obvious to me that the MLB really is putting up serious dollars to support this league.
I absolutely love that we have the west represented with two teams—one in Portland and one in Utah. A team in the softball hotbed of California would have been perfection but two teams out west is fantastic.
Texas Tech was the first school to offer a $1M NIL deal to a softball player, and Texas and Texas Tech played each other in the 2025 WCWS Final. Texas clearly supports softball so I love seeing a team down there.
Of course Oklahoma City, with the WCWS there every year and University of Oklahoma the most successful college program of the last decade, so that makes sense.
I love that the east coast is represented in Carolina, and I’m thrilled that my hometown of Chicago once again has a pro softball team. The Bandits will play at a beautiful softball stadium just outside of Chicago and I know the city is going to support them—especially if they win!
Large areas of coverage across the US, areas where softball is very popular and especially in Oklahoma and Texas well positioned to capitalize on NCAA softball’s popularity. Looks to me like a lot of smart moves designed to help grow the league rather than pinch pennies as I was expecting. So I’m here for it . Can’t wait for the season to start!
