Softball’s premiere league is back for its second season, and ESPN is putting it front and center.

Today, ESPN debuted a new Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) campaign, “This is Legendary,” featuring high-energy creative and content captures that spotlight the players fueling the league’s rapid rise. The campaign is brought to life by the voice of ESPN MLB & Softball analyst, AUSL advisor and softball legend Jessica Mendoza.

“This campaign is a celebration of the future of softball and the stars who are shaping it,” said Jo Fox, Senior Vice President of Marketing at ESPN. “From their rise on ESPN through college softball to now competing at the professional level in AUSL, we’re proud to continue showcasing their journeys as part of our broader commitment to growing the game and elevating women’s sports.”

The creative features Maya Brady (Oklahoma City Spark), Kinzie Hansen (Oklahoma City Spark), Sis Bates (Portland Cascade), Sam Landry (Portland Cascade), Erin Coffel (Chicago Bandits), Kathryn Sandercock (Chicago Bandits), Ana Gold (Carolina Blaze), Aleshia Ocasio (Carolina Blaze), Hannah Flippen (Utah Talons), Jayda Coleman (Utah Talons), Sierra Romero (Texas Volts) and Amanda Mazur (Texas Volts). It also provides a first look at AUSL’s new on-field uniforms as part of the league’s multi-year partnership with Adidas.

To bring the campaign to life, ESPN hosted the 12 aforementioned AUSL athletes in Bristol, Conn. for a full-day shoot that blended high-end creative with multi-platform content capture. Featuring custom team environments, the new uniforms and a bold magazine-inspired visual style, the shoot produced a deep library of assets across broadcast, digital and social, forming the foundation of “This is Legendary.”

While on campus, athletes also participated in a multi-show “car wash,” appearing across ESPN studio and radio programming to drive awareness for the upcoming season and introduce fans to the league’s rising stars.

“Partnering with ESPN to spotlight the AUSL and our incredible athletes is another defining moment for the league and its continued growth,” said Allie Kleva, Chief Growth Officer at Athletes Unlimited. “This campaign brings to life the energy of the AUSL in a way that feels both bold and authentic, showcasing the elite talent and star power driving the league forward. Following a breakout inaugural season, we are thrilled to welcome a campaign that gives new fans and longtime softball supporters even more to be excited about.” 

As the home of AUSL, ESPN will feature 50 exclusive games this season, including 47 regular season matchups and a best-of-three championship series July 25-27 on ABC and ESPN, the first time professional softball will be broadcast on network television in the U.S.

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