Ten days after pro softball players announced a union, the league they play in still has not answered. The AUSL Players Association went public on Oct. 13, saying a supermajority of the league's more than 100 players had signed union cards, and asked the Athletes Unlimited Softball League to recognize it voluntarily. As of Wednesday the league had not, Front Office Sports reported, with a spokesperson saying only that the AUSL will have more to share soon.

If the league declines, the players would have to win a vote run through the National Labor Relations Board before bargaining could start.

What AUSL Players Are Asking For

The union wants a collective bargaining agreement in place before the 2027 season. Just Women's Sports reported that players average about $35,000 a season with a ceiling of $80,000, per the league's own website. Front Office Sports put the 2027 salary tiers at $27,000 to $80,000 and said health care premiums are covered only during the season, which makes year-round coverage one of the central issues.

How the AUSL Compares

The league began play in 2025 and finished its second season this summer. It owns all its teams, assigns players through drafts and plays in six markets: Chicago, North Carolina, Portland, Oklahoma City, Utah and Texas. Commissioner Kim Ng is a former Marlins general manager, and MLB made an eight-figure investment in the league in 2025.

Other women's leagues took longer to organize. The WNBA's players association formed after that league's second season, and the NWSL's came four years after its first match. The PWHL players unionized in 2023, before that league played a game.

The pay gap with college is part of the backdrop. Texas Tech ace Nijaree Canady earned more than $1 million a year in college and held out briefly from the AUSL this summer, missing her team's first two games. More softball coverage is on the BallerTube softball page.