Professional softball fans had the opportunity to ask questions and receive answers directly from the source on Thursday.
Athletes Unlimited Softball League Commissioner Kim Ng hosted an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session on Reddit where she answered questions from the league’s supporters for 30 minutes.
The conversations took place on r/AUSL, the sports subreddit for the latest news and discussions related to the women’s professional softball league.
Many fans had questions about the upcoming season and wanted details on tickets and the TV broadcast plans. Others were curious about the future of the league and expansion.
The league operated in a touring model for its debut season in 2025, but now moves to city-based teams in locations announced earlier in the week. The six teams are located in: Durham, North Carolina (Blaze), Chicago, Illinois (Bandits), Portland, Oregon (Cascade), Austin, Texas (Volts), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Spark), and Salt Lake City, Utah (Talons).
But fans were still eager to learn where and when their region could receive a pro softball team.
“In terms of expansion, we are willing to, and will, look at a broad array of markets that are currently not represented in AUSL,” Ng wrote.
“In terms of neutral sites, we will have our play-in game and Championship series at a neutral site, TBD. In the future, we plan to have more neutral sites as well,” Ng shared in response to another user.
Another fan wanted to know about how the locations were selected.
“What went into choosing the team’s home locations? Was the goal to diversify the market in places the MLB doesn’t have teams?” one user asked.
“There was no conscious decision to play in non-MLB cities. We chose high-growth areas that are big advocates of women’s sports. Five out of six markets we landed on came from the pool of 12 that we visited in 2025, between regular season and All-Star Cup games,” Ng wrote.
Ng also gave fans a look behind the curtain about processes like the Golden Ticket Moments.
Last year, the league introduced a unique way to announce the class of college draftees. AUSL representatives visited college campuses across the country to present 12 “Golden Tickets” to players who were invited to join the league.
One user asked, “Are the Golden Tickets from last year going to continue? If so, why are we limiting the pool of players that teams can draft? I think the idea is intriguing, but maybe a bit restrictive when it comes to drafting. Also, if they are continuing, how are the winners of the Golden Tickets determined?”
Ng explained, “In 2025, we held a private draft in which the [General Managers] selected these players. Afterwards, we then presented Golden Tickets to the selected athletes, signifying they had been drafted. The Draft Show revealed to the players and the public which teams these players had been selected by.”
She gave an example of how the process worked for the No. 1 overall draft pick, Sam Landry.
“The Volts chose Sam Landry, so she was then awarded a Golden Ticket. On the night of the Draft Show, Sam Landry found out who had drafted her. The process will be the same for 2026,” Ng wrote.
In the midst of questions about the league, one user just wanted to know how Ng orders a ballpark staple: a hot dog. Ng’s answer was classic.
“Ketchup and relish,” she wrote.
You can read the whole AMA here.
Savanna Collins is the Senior Reporter for the AUSL. You can follow her on X @savannaecollins.
