Adidas Announce Major Apparel Deal with Athletes Unlimited Softball League

Athletes Unlimited and Adidas have announced a multi-year partnership, naming the global sportswear giant as an Official Marketing Partner and the exclusive on-field apparel and footwear provider for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL).

The deal, which commences with the 2026 AUSL season starting 9 June, will see Adidas outfit all six professional teams with custom uniforms, performance footwear, and training gear.

The partnership marks a significant transition for the league, which moved away from a touring model to permanent city-based franchises following a breakout inaugural season in 2025.

Commenting on the partnership, Adidas president at North America, John Miller, said: “This partnership with Athletes Unlimited marks an acceleration of our investment in women’s sports.”

“Together, we are actively shaping the future of softball to establish new benchmarks that drive the game forward,” Miller said.

Expressing his enthusiasm, CEO & co-founder of Athletes Unlimited, Jon Patricof, added: “This partnership reflects a shared vision for growing women’s pro sports and creating new opportunities for our world-class athletes.” 

Strategic Commercial Alignment

The partnership integrates Adidas deeply into the AUSL ecosystem, including digital, social, and broadcast activations. Adidas already boasts a strong roster of individual brand ambassadors within the league, including star infielders Sis Bates and Tiare Jennings, as well as outfielder Amanda Lorenz.

By securing the league-wide apparel rights, Adidas reinforces its “pipeline” strategy in softball, where it already serves as the official partner of Little League Softball and maintains high-profile NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals with top-tier university athletes.

Media Reach and Growth

The Adidas partnership coincides with a major three-year broadcast extension between Athletes Unlimited and ESPN.

Under the new media deal, 50 exclusive games will air annually across ESPN platforms, with a marquee matchup set to debut on ABCin July 2026.

Initial co-branded merchandise has already launched on the Athletes Unlimited Pro Shop, with the full 2026 uniform reveals and retail seasonal offerings expected to be unveiled in late April.

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