Rule42 Sports Group is now one of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League's largest investors. Former Intel president Renée James, who founded Rule42, finalized the AUSL deal this month. She also purchased Softball America, teams' go-to prospect rankings platform.
AUSL Softball Secures Key Backer in Rule42 Sports Group
The investment puts Rule42 alongside MLB, the Milwaukee Brewers, and Ryan Sanders Baseball as key AUSL backers, while James also joins the league's board of directors. Meanwhile, Softball America will operate under Rule42 as Softball America by Rule42, with Tara Henry stepping into the role of VP of Softball.
The move comes at a pivotal moment for the pro softball league.
The AUSL's six teams just wrapped a second season defined by growth, as average ESPN viewership jumped 152%, broadcast games expanded from 18 to 47, and 25 games sold out entirely. The AUSL championship opener drew 732,000 viewers, setting a record for professional softball in the US.
AUSL Gains New Partners, Expands Player Discovery Platforms
Beyond the numbers, new sponsorship deals with adidas and Labcorp add to a returning roster of partners that includes Sephora and Rawlings. James framed the investment around equity in scouting infrastructure, noting that women's sports still lack the player-discovery pipelines their men's sports counterparts rely on.
"It's a very positive opportunity," James said of the investment. "There are girls everywhere playing softball and they wonder, what comes next? And now, the answer is they can be a pro too, and that is why I'm investing in AUSL. I want to see us grow. I want to see us continue."
