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Athletes Unlimited
A black circle enclosing two white arcs, with the words "Athletes Unlimited" written to its right.
Founded2020
Founder
Broadcasters
  • ESPN (all)
  • FanDuel (basketball and volleyball)
  • WNBA (basketball)
  • VBTV (volleyball)
Official websiteauprosports.com

Athletes Unlimited (also known by its abbreviation AU) is a women's professional sports organization based in the United States that organizes and administers competitions in the sports of basketball, softball, volleyball, and formerly lacrosse. It was founded in 2020 by Jon Patricof and Jonathan Soros. Athletes Unlimited leagues employ formats in which individual players are crowned champions, with the exception of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, which has traditional teams.

History

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Athletes Unlimited was founded by Jon Patricof and Jonathan Soros in 2020.[1]

Format

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There are no team owners, and league investors are capping their returns. Athletes share in the league profits, and are involved in the daily decision making.[2] Players are not committed to one team but switch teams every week of the season through a draft.[3] The top four players who earned the most points each week become captains for the next week and form new teams.[4] Players earn points based on both their team and individual performances, and are ranked accordingly. The champion is the player with the most points at the end of the season.[5][6]

Leagues

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Basketball

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2024 champion Allisha Gray holds the all-time points record, at 6,918.

Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball is played annually during winter. Its first season featured 44 players competing in a five-week season from January 26 to February 26, 2022, and took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.[7] The second season was played in Dallas, Texas and ran from February 22 to March 26, 2023.[8] The 2025 edition will be held on February 5 – March 2 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. It will feature forty players competing in 24 games – ten will be livestreamed on ESPN+, and fourteen will be simultaneously livestreamed on both the FanDuel Sports Network and the WNBA's mobile app.[9][10][11]

Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball editions
Year Date Venue Location 1st place, gold medalist(s) Champion
Player Points
2022 Jan 26 – Feb 26 Sport Center of Las Vegas Enterprise, NV Tianna Hawkins 6,831
2023 Feb 22 – Mar 25 Fair Park Coliseum Dallas, TX NaLyssa Smith 6,811
2024 Feb 29 – Mar 23 Allisha Gray 6,918
2025 Feb 5 – Mar 2 Nashville Municipal Auditorium Nashville, TN
Future tournament

Softball

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Athletes Unlimited Softball League

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Logo of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL).

The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) will feature four teams playing a 30-game season in a traditional format, complementing the existing AU Pro Softball Championship season.[12] ESPN has signed on as a founding broadcast partner.[13] The AUSL will become a city-based league beginning in 2026, while the inaugural season in 2025 will be touring with games in six to eight different cities.[14] The average salary for a player will be $40,000–45,000, with salaries up to $75,000 achievable through bonus payments.[15][16]

2025 Athletes Unlimited Softball League teams
Team General manager Head coach
Bandits Jenny Dalton-Hill Stacey Nuveman-Deniz
Blaze Dana Sorensen Alisa Goler
Talons Lisa Fernandez Howard Dobson
Volts Cat Osterman Kelly Kretschman

All-Star Cup and AUX

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2020 champion Cat Osterman holds the all-time points record for the All-Star Cup, at 2,408.

The AUSL All-Star Cup (formerly known as Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball) is played annually at the Parkway Bank Sports Complex in Rosemont, Illinois over four weeks during summer. It is preceded by a two-week competition known as Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX (stylized as "AUX"). The Cup's inaugural season was played from August 20 to September 28, 2020. Two games were played each Saturday, Sunday, and Monday over the five week period, 30 games all together (15 per player). The top four players were named the medalists and Haylie McCleney was named the Defensive Player of the Year.[17]

The inaugural AUX competition featured 42 athletes playing 18 games and took place from June 13 to 26, 2022, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Title IX on June 23.[18] Danielle O'Toole won the inaugural AUX softball competition with 1,436 points.[19] Rachel Garcia won the 2023 AUX competition with 1,392 points.[20] Bubba Nickles won the 2024 AUX competition with 1,344 points.[21]

Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball editions
Year Date Venue Location 1st place, gold medalist(s) Champion
Player Points
Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball / AUSL All-Star Cup
2020 Aug 29 – Sep 28 Parkway Bank Sports Complex Rosemont, IL Cat Osterman 2,408[17]
2021 Aug 28 – Sep 27 Aleshia Ocasio 2,096[22]
2022 Jul 29 – Aug 28 Dejah Mulipola 1,782[23]
2023 Jul 28 – Aug 27 Odicci Alexander 1,994[24]
2024 Jul 26 – Aug 5 Amanda Lorenz 1,800[25]
Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball AUX
2022 Jun 13–25 SDSU Softball Stadium San Diego, CA Danielle O'Toole 1,436[19]
2023 Jun 9–25 Parkway Bank Sports Complex Rosemont, IL Rachel Garcia 1,392[20]
2024 Jun 10–25 Wilkins Stadium Wichita, KS Bubba Nickles 1,344[21]

Volleyball

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2022 champion Bethania de la Cruz holds the all-time points record, at 4,652.

Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball is played annually during fall. Its inaugural season was played in 2021.[26][27]

Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball editions
Year Date Venue Location 1st place, gold medalist(s) Champion
Player Points
2021 Feb 27 – Mar 29 Fair Park Coliseum Dallas, TX Jordan Larson 4,569
2022 Mar 16 – Apr 16 Bethania de la Cruz 4,652
2023 Oct 6 – Nov 6 Arizona Athletic Grounds Mesa, AZ Leah Edmond 4,313
2024 Oct 3 – Nov 4 Brittany Abercrombie 4,521

Defunct leagues

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Lacrosse

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Tierney Field at the USA Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Maryland hosted three editions of Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse.

Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse was played annually during summer, between 2021 and 2024. Michelle DeJulius, who had founded and was the CEO of the now defunct Women's Professional Lacrosse League was named the Senior Director of Lacrosse.[28] Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse features a "short-form, fast-paced" format. It is played 10-a-side rather than 12-a-side. The field length is shorted to 90 yards as opposed to the traditional 110 yards. The field width remains at 60 yards. There is a 60-second shot clock, and layers can score two-point goals by scoring goals from outside of an 8-meter perimeter. The games are also 10-minute quarters.[28][29][30][31] The game has also been described as more physical, with less fouls called compared to other levels of the game. There are also no shooting space calls (shooting space being a penalty where a defender cannot stand between the goal and a player looking to shoot unless actively guarding another player).[29][31]

The inaugural 2021 season took place from July 19 to August 22 in Boyds, Maryland at Maureen Hendricks Field.[32] The 2022 season took place from July 21 to August 14 at William G. Tierney Field in Baltimore, Maryland,[33][34] and returned there for the 2023 season from July 20 to August 13.[35] Goalie Taylor Moreno became the first player to win two Athletes Unlimited championships.[36][37] After the conclusion of the 2024 season, Athletes Unlimited suspended its lacrosse operations, citing the "availability of the sport's most elite athletes during the summer months over the next few years" as its primary reason for doing so.[38][39]

Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse editions
Year Date Venue Location 1st place, gold medalist(s) Champion
Player Points
2021 Jul 23 – Aug 22 Hendricks Field Boyds, MD Taylor Cummings 1,943[40]
2022 Jul 21 – Aug 14 Tierney Field Sparks, MD Taylor Moreno 1,798[41]
2023 Jul 20 – Aug 13 Taylor Moreno 1,679[36]
2024 Jul 18 – Aug 11 Sam Apuzzo 1,852

References

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  1. ^ Latimer, Jolene (September 2, 2020). "The Creation of Athletes Unlimited". auprosports.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  2. ^ Thomas, Louisa (June 3, 2021). "What if Pro Sports Leagues Were Controlled by Their Players?". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "How We Play: Softball". auprosports.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  4. ^ Minsberg, Talya (June 8, 2020). "New Pro Sports Venture Puts Women's Sports in the Players' Hands". The New York Times. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  5. ^ Jorstad, Anders (July 24, 2020). "The End of the Dynasty". auprosports.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Basketball Tips Off Inaugural Season In Las Vegas". Forbes. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "ATHLETES UNLIMITED TO LAUNCH BASKETBALL LEAGUE IN 2022". auprosports.com. AU Pro Sports. October 12, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  8. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Basketball to feature more WNBA players for 2023 season". onherturf.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. October 25, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Cole, Damichael (September 9, 2024). "Professional women's basketball league Athletes Unlimited coming to Nashville in 2025". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  10. ^ Associated Press (September 9, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited to play 2025 women's hoops in Nashville". ESPN. Archived from the original on September 20, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  11. ^ "AU Pro Basketball set for Feb. 5 tipoff in Nashville with deeper and broad distribution". Athletes Unlimited. January 16, 2025. Archived from the original on January 16, 2025. Retrieved January 26, 2025.
  12. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Softball League to Launch in 2025". auprosports.com. June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  13. ^ Wilson, Dave (June 4, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited announces softball league to start in 2025". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  14. ^ Brunt, Cliff (June 4, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited to add traditional team-based softball league in 2025". Associated Press. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  15. ^ Bachman, Rachel (June 4, 2024). "George Soros's Son Has Found a New Cause to Back: Pro Softball". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024. The average salary for players who compete in both the new league and the existing season will be $40,000. With bonuses, top players could earn up to $75,000.
  16. ^ Mazzeo, Mike (November 25, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited Softball League unveils GMs, coaches for inaugural season". Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024. The average salaries are projected to be $40,000-$45,000 for the season.
  17. ^ a b "Cat Osterman crowned first Athletes Unlimited Champion". auprosports.com. September 28, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  18. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Softball Announces Major Expansion". auprosports.com. December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  19. ^ a b "Pitcher Danielle O'Toole wins Athletes Unlimited AUX Softball competition". ESPN.com. June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  20. ^ a b "Rachel Garcia crowned 2023 AUX Champion". auprosports.com. June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Collins, Savanna; Lewis, Alexandra (June 26, 2024). "Bubba Nickles Crowned 2024 AUX Champion in Close Finish". auprosports.com. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  22. ^ "Pitcher Aleshia Ocasio wins 2021 Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship". auprosports.com. September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  23. ^ "Dejah Mulipola crowned 2022 Champion in thrilling finale". auprosports.com. August 28, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  24. ^ "Odicci Alexander crowned 2023 Athletes Unlimited Softball Champion". auprosports.com. August 27, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  25. ^ "Amanda Lorenz crowned 2024 Athletes Unlimited Softball Champion". auprosports.com. August 25, 2024. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  26. ^ "Player-Run U.S. Pro Volleyball League to Debut in Dallas – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth". February 26, 2021.
  27. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Volleyball League Takes Flight With A Historic Debut". Forbes.
  28. ^ a b "Athletes Unlimited Adds Women's Pro Lacrosse as Third Sports League". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  29. ^ a b "Ocasio draft-eligible again in Athletes Unlimited". ESPN.com. September 14, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  30. ^ "Women's Professional Lacrosse". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  31. ^ a b Athletes (July 31, 2021). "How Athletes Unlimited is innovating Lacrosse". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  32. ^ "A League of Their Own: Women's Lacrosse Enters New Era with Athletes Unlimited". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  33. ^ "Athletes Unlimited to Play 2022 Lacrosse Season at USA Lacrosse". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  34. ^ "Athletes Unlimited CEO Jon Patricof Confirms Lacrosse Season 2". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  35. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Announces Roster, Broadcast Schedule for Season 3". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  36. ^ a b "Taylor Moreno Edges Sam Apuzzo by 12 Points to Win Athletes Unlimited Season 3". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  37. ^ Cora (August 13, 2023). "Athletes Unlimited | Taylor Moreno repeats as Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Champion". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  38. ^ Kinnear, Matt (December 18, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Suspends Operations, Citing Player Availability". Inside Lacrosse. Archived from the original on December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  39. ^ "Athletes Unlimited suspends lacrosse operation". Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. December 18, 2024. Archived from the original on December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  40. ^ "Taylor Cummings is Inaugural Champion of Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  41. ^ "Ever-Mindful Taylor Moreno Wins Athletes Unlimited Crown in Nail-Biter". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
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