{"id":15596,"date":"2026-09-10T07:46:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-10T00:46:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/?p=15596"},"modified":"2026-09-10T07:46:45","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T00:46:45","slug":"the-womens-professional-baseball-league-is-betting-that-womens-baseball-has-a-future-in-the-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.infinitysport.asia\/news\/the-womens-professional-baseball-league-is-betting-that-womens-baseball-has-a-future-in-the-us\/","title":{"rendered":"The Women\u2019s Professional Baseball League is betting that women\u2019s baseball has a future in the\u00a0US"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/758575\/original\/file-20260908-60-26o7ws.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&amp;rect=0%2C44%2C3713%2C2668&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Young woman wearing black uniform anticipates a pitch while holding a baseball bat.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Ashton Lansdell of the Los Angeles Queens bats during the Women\u2019s Professional Baseball League Opening Day game against the New York Heights on Aug. 1, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/ashton-lansdell-of-the-los-angeles-queens-bats-during-the-news-photo\/2288357986?adppopup=true\">Chris Bernacchi\/Diamond Images via Getty Images<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over 70 years after the dissolution of the All-American Professional Girls\u2019 Baseball League \u2013 and nearly 30 years since the end of the short-lived Ladies League Baseball \u2013 female baseball players have been competing in a professional league of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Women\u2019s Professional Baseball League began its inaugural season on Aug. 1, 2026, in front of a sellout crowd at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. Since then, the league\u2019s four teams have battled one another across 30 games, producing highlight reel moments like Kelsie Whitmore\u2019s three-homer game and Andr\u00e9anne Leblanc\u2019s walk-off grand slam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-x wp-block-embed-x\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Andr\u00e9anne Leblanc and San Francisco Firebells I LOVE YOU HOW CAN YOU NOT BE ROMANTIC ABOUT WOMENS SPORTS <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/5VaUwNePqQ\">https:\/\/t.co\/5VaUwNePqQ<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/oMzqKznPbF\">pic.twitter.com\/oMzqKznPbF<\/a><\/p>&mdash; A (@crowrowly) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/crowrowly\/status\/2094250496882053319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 31, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The San Francisco Firebells finished the regular season atop the standings. The playoffs, beginning on Sept. 9, will determine the league champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An opportune time<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The WPBL is appearing at a time when women\u2019s sports in the U.S. are thriving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Established leagues such as the WNBA and National Women\u2019s Soccer League are seeing more investment, higher team valuations, lucrative media deals and growing fanbases. Women\u2019s sports revenue is projected to reach roughly US$3 billion in 2026 \u2013 an increase of 340% in just four years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The WPBL certainly hopes to capitalize on this moment. But the league is also doing something culturally significant: providing a pathway for the thousands of girls and women who choose to play baseball, not softball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the U.S., women have been playing baseball since at least the 1860s. But stubborn stereotypes continue to cast baseball as a sport for men and softball as the acceptable equivalent for women. Following legal challenges, Little League Baseball officially allowed girls to play in 1974. However, that same year, Little League Softball was founded, which steered girls away from baseball and reinforced the gendered split of the two sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since then, there have been limited opportunities and resources available to girls and women in the U.S. who want to play baseball. Those who play Little League Baseball almost always switch to softball by high school. At the collegiate level, there are a handful of women\u2019s baseball club teams, but it is not an NCAA-sanctioned sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Female ballplayers in other countries also face some of these issues. But I\u2019ve researched and written about how developmental pipelines for women\u2019s baseball players in Japan, Canada and Australia are far more established than they are in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Showcasing the world\u2019s best players<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So it\u2019s no surprise that nearly half of the 65 players in the Women\u2019s Professional Baseball League hail from other countries, including 11 from Canada, eight from Japan, five from Mexico and four from Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japan\u2019s Ayami Sato, picked second in the draft, is widely considered the best women\u2019s baseball pitcher in the world. Thaima Maximiliana, from Curacao, was a first-round draft pick for Los Angeles, and South Korea\u2019s Hyeonah Kim signed with Boston as the fourth overall pick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/758577\/original\/file-20260908-50-7y4ci3.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Young Asian woman wearing green catching gear stands on a baseball field.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Hyeonah Kim of the Boston Hunters looks on prior to the game against the Los Angeles Queens on Aug. 26, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/hyeonah-kim-of-the-boston-hunters-looks-on-prior-to-the-news-photo\/2292243471?adppopup=true\">Alex Halloway\/Getty Images<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, many of the American ballplayers had already made a name for themselves prior to joining the WBPL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kelsie Whitmore, who plays for the Savannah Bananas, a traveling team known for its entertaining style of play, was the league\u2019s first overall pick. The Bananas play Banana Ball, a fast-paced variation of baseball with unconventional rules that puts spectacle and fan engagement at the heart of the game. Other women in Banana Ball to sign with the WPBL include Denae Benites, Val Perez, Ashton Lansdell and Mo\u2019ne Davis, who became the first girl to pitch a shutout at the Little League World Series in 2014. Davis actually scored the WPBL\u2019s first run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The league also features women who play for the USA Baseball women\u2019s national team, which recently qualified for next year\u2019s Women\u2019s Baseball World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each WPBL team has a salary cap of US$95,000, so players will earn roughly $6,333 for the short, eight-week season. The league is covering housing costs and living expenses for the players, and they also receive a share of the league\u2019s sponsorship revenue, in addition to any personal endorsement deals they might secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A nod to the past<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though the teams hail from other cities, all of the games for the inaugural season have taken place in Springfield, Illinois.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The location is symbolic: Springfield is where the first ticketed baseball game between two women\u2019s teams, the Blondes and the Brunettes, took place in 1875.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/757332\/original\/file-20260901-60-o222nk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/757332\/original\/file-20260901-60-o222nk.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Black-and-white photo of a woman wearing a cap and a baggy uniform reading 'ALL STARS' while standing on a base and catching a ball.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Lizzie Murphy, known as the \u2018Queen of Baseball,\u2019 plays first base in an exhibition at Fenway Park in Boston in 1922. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/american-baseball-player-lizzie-murphy-playing-first-base-news-photo\/1295193650?adppopup=true\">Keystone View Company\/FPG\/Archive Photos\/Hulton Archive via Getty Images<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In similar spirit, the team names commemorate trailblazing women. The New York Heights are named after civil rights leader Dorothy Height. The Boston Hunters pay tribute to Harriot K. Hunt, an influential medical doctor and women\u2019s rights activist. The San Francisco Firebells honor Lillie Hitchcock Coit, a philanthropist and patron of the city\u2019s volunteer firefighters whose nickname was \u201cFirebelle Lil.\u201d And the Los Angeles Queens are named after Lizzie Murphy, known as the \u201cQueen of Baseball.\u201d Murphy was the first woman to play against Major League Baseball players when she faced Boston Red Sox players in an exhibition game at Fenway Park in 1922.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meanwhile, the official league mascot is one of the most unique in professional sports: a dancing, cartwheeling version of Maybelle Blair, the 99-year-old former All-American Professional Girls\u2019 Baseball League player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">An uncertain future<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ESPN Select has been broadcasting the entire season for the U.S. market, with select games also being shown on the Scripps Sports Network. Fans outside of the U.S. must tune in via YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even though the regular season only included 30 games, there was plenty of drama on and off the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The manager of the Boston Hunters, former MLB All-Star closer Keith Foulke, was fired just three games into the season. Three weeks later, the league faced scrutiny after a board member filed a civil complaint alleging misuse of funds and conflicts of interest in the board\u2019s makeup and hiring practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yet play continued and proved exciting. San Francisco claimed the league\u2019s first walk-off win in a game that featured two grand slams. New York\u2019s Jaida Lee emerged as a top pitcher and led the league in strikeouts and strikeout rate. Whitmore and Benites finished the season leading the league with 11 home runs apiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/758573\/original\/file-20260908-50-vllyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/images.theconversation.com\/files\/758573\/original\/file-20260908-50-vllyq2.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.1&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip\" alt=\"Large white-haired mascot with huge sunglasses poses with a bat next to a woman in a wheelchair also wearing the same sunglasses and posing with a bat.\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player Maybelle Blair poses alongside the mascot she inspired prior to a game between the Boston Hunters and San Francisco Firebells on Aug. 2, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/news-photo\/former-all-american-girls-professional-baseball-league-news-photo\/2288944104?adppopup=true\">Zoe Davis\/Getty Images<\/a><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the success of its inaugural season, the WPBL is ultimately a startup that faces the challenges of any new league: It needs to grow its fan base, boost its media coverage, provide quality broadcasting and remain financially solvent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So what will it take for the WPBL to survive, expand and carve out its own identity in an increasingly saturated pro sports landscape?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s worth looking to other emerging sports and leagues. Flag football is growing thanks to its inclusion as an Olympic sport and promotional and financial support from the NFL. Both Women\u2019s Elite Rugby and the Women\u2019s Lacrosse League hope to leverage increased interest and investment to succeed. And the Athletes United Softball League is utilizing its innovative rules to engage fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Questions linger about the future of the WPBL. But the league certainly has one thing in its favor: the rich history of women playing baseball, both in the U.S. and around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/profiles\/callie-maddox-2349208\">Callie Maddox<\/a>, Associate Professor of Sport Leadership and Management, <em><a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/institutions\/miami-university-1934\">Miami University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\">This article is republished from <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/the-womens-professional-baseball-league-is-betting-that-womens-baseball-has-a-future-in-the-us-289851\">original article<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 70 years after the dissolution of the All-American Professional Girls\u2019 Baseball League \u2013 and nearly 30 years<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[109],"class_list":["post-15596","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-baseball"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 5.0.1.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Over 70 years after the dissolution of the All-American Professional Girls\u2019 Baseball League \u2013 and nearly 30 years since the end of the short-lived Ladies League Baseball \u2013 female baseball players have been competing in a professional league of their own. 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