After a successful first year that brought a historic event to the home of the Little League Softball® World Series, Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball is set to return to Greenville, North Carolina, for a second year of fun and excitement with the 2024 AU Pro Games, set to take place on August 6-7. In addition to serving as the presenting sponsor of the 50th Anniversary of the Little League Softball World Series, DICK’S Sporting Goods has also been named as the presenting sponsor of the 2024 AU Pro Games at the LLSWS, furthering their commitment to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports across the board.
“Coming off such a historic inaugural event in 2023, we are so grateful that Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball is coming back for a second year as we join together in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of our Little League Softball World Series this August,” said Ashlea Miller, Little League Director of Softball Development and Little League Softball World Series Tournament Director. “Working together with an industry leader like Athletes Unlimited to launch the AU Pro Games has helped increase the spotlight on the game of softball at both the youth and professional level and has become an experience our World Series participants dream about experiencing in August. We look forward to working with everyone at Athletes Unlimited to bring this event to the next level this summer and show the world how important the game of softball truly is.”
Along with the doubleheader set to take place between the Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball athletes at East Carolina University’s softball stadium on August 7, starting at 4:30 p.m. ET and airing on ESPNU, all 60 of AU’s rostered professional softball players and staff will once again spend the day on Tuesday, August 6, interacting with LLSWS participants and provide a day filled with fun, memories, and celebration.
“This event was truly one of the best things we’ve ever done at Athletes Unlimited and a lifetime highlight for everyone involved, so we are thrilled to once again partner with Little League and return to the Little League Softball World Series for its 50th Anniversary, and are grateful to DICK’S Sporting Goods for its support of such an important event,” said Cheri Kempf, Senior Vice President and Director of Softball for Athletes Unlimited. “The AU Pro Games at the Little League Softball World Series provides an unparalleled opportunity for the next generation of young softball players and community leaders to get up close and personal with their role models while experiencing the best athletes in the world competing at the highest level.”
The inaugural event in 2023 saw a variety of memorable moments, including history being made with rookie Kathryn Sandercock’s parents, Colin and Trish, being named as the 2023 George and Barbara Bush Little League Parents of the Year, marking the first time that Little League Softball parents received the award. The 2013 LLSWS graduate from McClean (Va.) Little League and her family were honored with the award and a custom painting prior to one of the Little League Softball World Series games with her Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball teammates in attendance.
“We are excited to be the presenting sponsor of the Little League Softball World Series and to enter into this new partnership with AU Pro Games”, said Mark Rooks, VP of Creative, Sponsorships and Entertainment at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “We believe sports have the power to change lives and are honored to play a role in helping grow the game for girls at one of the most exciting softball events of the year.”
“Getting the opportunity to interact with the Little Leaguers, watch them compete, and then have them at our games was an unforgettable experience and we’re thrilled to be back this summer,” said Sam Fischer, Chair of the AU Pro Softball Player Executive Committee. “The chance to inspire the next generation of softball players and community leaders is something none of us take for granted.”
The AU Pro Games are just one of the many ways that Little League and Athletes Unlimited have continued to work together as leaders in the industry to grow the future of the game of softball and provide opportunities to generations of girls all around the world. Thanks to the support of Athletes Unlimited through events like this, and other efforts surrounding the Girls with Game initiative, Little League Softball has seen an increase in participation of approximately 8% since 2018 and continues to provide more resources and support to continue this growth through events like this.
The 2024 Little League Softball World Series, Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods, is set to take place on August 4-11, 2024, with all games played at Stalling Stadium at Elm Street Park in Greenville, North Carolina. Additional information about the 2024 AU Pro Games at the Little League Softball World Series will be shared during the coming months and made available at LittleLeague.org/AthletesUnlimited.
The announcement of the 2024 event is yet another piece of the Little League’s year-long Girls with Game 50 Celebration in 2024, honoring 50 years or girls and women in the Little League program and the launch of the Little League Softball program in 1974. To learn more about the Little League #GWG50 Celebration, including the 50th Anniversary of the Little League Softball World Series, visit LittleLeague.org/GWG50. The #GWG50 celebration is proudly supported by DICK’S Sporting Goods, a long-time Little League partner that is committed to creating opportunities for girls and women in sports and will be activating around key events and milestones this year.
The February 7 announcement of the 2024 event also comes in coordination with the 38th Annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day® (NGWSDTM), co-founded and continues to be powered by the Women’s Sports Foundation, who is celebrating their 50th Anniversary in 2024. A vibrant movement celebrated annually, NGWSD honors the achievements of women athletes, coaches, and leaders and continues to Lead Her Forward by acknowledging the power of sports to unlock her limitless potential.
About Athletes Unlimited ®
Named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2023, Athletes Unlimited is a new model of pro sports, where athletes are decision-makers and individual players are champions of team sports. Athletes Unlimited owns and operates professional women’s softball, lacrosse, volleyball and basketball leagues featuring world-class competition and fan experience, and stands out as an organization driven by the athletes that play in the leagues, with athlete representation on the company’s board of directors, each league led by a Player Executive Committee, and players sharing in long-term profits of the company, all while being proactive in shaping policies supporting the mothers that play in the league. Athletes Unlimited is the first professional sports league to be organized as a Public Benefit Corporation. For more information, visit AUProSports.com.