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Athletes Unlimited
A black circle enclosing two white arcs, with the words "Athletes Unlimited" written to its right.
Founded2020
Founder
Official websiteauprosports.com

Athletes Unlimited (also known by its abbreviation AU) is a women's professional sports organisation based in the United States that organizes and administers competitions in the sports of basketball, softball, volleyball, and formerly lacrosse. It was founded in 2020 by Jon Patricof and Jonathan Soros. Athletes Unlimited leagues employ formats in which individual players are crowned champions, with the exception of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, which has traditional teams.

History

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Athletes Unlimited was founded by Jon Patricof and Jonathan Soros in 2020.[1]

Format

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There are no team owners, and league investors are capping their returns. Athletes share in the league profits, and are involved in the daily decision making.[2] Players are not committed to one team but switch teams every week of the season through a draft.[3] The top four players who earned the most points each week become captains for the next week and form new teams.[4] Players earn points based on both their team and individual performances, and are ranked accordingly. The champion is the player with the most points at the end of the season.[5][6]

Leagues

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Basketball

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Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball
SportWomen's basketball
First season2022
Most recent
champion(s)		Allisha Gray
(2024)

The first season of Athletes Unlimited's women's basketball league featured 44 players competing in a five-week season from January 26 to February 26, 2022, and took place in Las Vegas, Nevada.[7] The second season was played in Dallas, Texas and ran from February 22 to March 26, 2023.[8]

AU Pro Basketball champions
Year Champion Points Ref
2022 Tianna Hawkins 6,831
2023 NaLyssa Smith 6,811
2024 Allisha Gray 6,918

Softball

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All-Star Cup

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AUSL All-Star Cup
SportFastpitch softball
First season2020
BroadcasterESPN
Most recent
champion(s)		Amanda Lorenz
(2024)

Formerly known as Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball, its inaugural season was played in Rosemont, Illinois from August 20 to September 28, 2020. Two games were played each Saturday, Sunday, and Monday over the five week period, 30 games all together (15 per player). The top four players were named the medalists and Haylie McCleney was named the Defensive Player of the Year.[9]

AUSL All-Star Cup champions
Year Champion Points Ref
2020 Cat Osterman 2,408 [9]
2021 Aleshia Ocasio 2,096 [10]
2022 Dejah Mulipola 1,782 [11]
2023 Odicci Alexander 1,994 [12]
2024 Amanda Lorenz 1,800 [13]

Athletes Unlimited Softball League

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Athletes Unlimited Softball League
A black silhouette of a softball pitcher, surrounded by an orange arc.
SportFastpitch softball
First season2025 (planned)
No. of teams4 (planned)
BroadcasterESPN

On June 4, 2024, Athletes Unlimited announced the plan to launch the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) in May 2025. The AUSL will feature four teams playing a 30-game season in a traditional format, complementing the existing AU Pro Softball Championship season.[14] ESPN has signed on as a founding broadcast partner.[15] The AUSL will become a city-based league beginning in 2026, while the inaugural season in 2025 will be touring with games in six to eight different cities.[16] The average salary for a player will be $40,000–45,000, with salaries up to $75,000 achievable through bonus payments.[17][18]

AUSL teams
Teams Bandits Blaze Talons Volts
General manager Jenny Dalton-Hill Dana Sorensen Lisa Fernandez Cat Osterman
Head coach Stacey Nuveman-Deniz Alisa Goler Howard Dobson Kelly Kretschman

AUX Softball

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AUX Softball
SportFastpitch softball
First season2022
Most recent
champion(s)		Bubba Nickles
(2024)

On December 21, 2021, Athletes Unlimited Softball announced a new two-week competition titled AUX Softball. The competition will provide more playing opportunities and compensation to athletes. The inaugural competition featured 42 athletes playing 18 games and took place from June 13 to 26, 2022, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Title IX on June 23.[19] Danielle O'Toole won the inaugural AUX softball competition with 1,436 points.[20] Rachel Garcia won the 2023 AUX competition with 1,392 points.[21] Bubba Nickles won the 2024 AUX competition with 1,344 points.[22]

AUX Softball champions
Year Champion Points Ref
2022 Danielle O'Toole 1,436 [20]
2023 Rachel Garcia 1,392 [21]
2024 Bubba Nickles 1,344 [22]

Volleyball

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Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball
SportVolleyball
First season2021
Broadcaster
Most recent
champion(s)		Brittany Abercrombie
(2024)

Athletes Unlimited established an indoor volleyball league in 2021.[23][24]

AU Pro Volleyball champions
Year Champion Points Ref
2021 Jordan Larson 4,569
2022 Bethania de la Cruz 4,652
2023 Leah Edmond 4,313
2024 Brittany Abercrombie 4,521

Defunct leagues

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Lacrosse

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Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse
SportWomen's lacrosse
First season2021
Last season2024
Most titlesTaylor Moreno (3)

On October 20, 2020, Athletes Unlimited announced that they would be adding women's lacrosse as its third league. Michelle DeJulius, who had founded and was the CEO of the now defunct Women's Professional Lacrosse League was named the Senior Director of Lacrosse.[25] Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse features a "short-form, fast-paced" format. It is played 10-a-side rather than 12-a-side. The field length is shorted to 90 yards as opposed to the traditional 110 yards. The field width remains at 60 yards. There is a 60-second shot clock, and layers can score two-point goals by scoring goals from outside of an 8-meter perimeter. The games are also 10-minute quarters.[25][26][27][28] The game has also been described as more physical, with less fouls called compared to other levels of the game. There are also no shooting space calls (shooting space being a penalty where a defender cannot stand between the goal and a player looking to shoot unless actively guarding another player).[26][28]

The inaugural 2021 season took place from July 19 to August 22 in Boyds, Maryland at Maureen Hendricks Field.[29] The 2022 season took place from July 21 to August 14 at William G. Tierney Field in Baltimore, Maryland,[30][31] and returned there for the 2023 season from July 20 to August 13.[32] Goalie Taylor Moreno became the first player to win two Athletes Unlimited championships.[33][34] After the conclusion of the 2024 season, Athletes Unlimited suspended its lacrosse operations, citing the "availability of the sport's most elite athletes during the summer months over the next few years" as its primary reason for doing so.[35][36]

AU Pro Lacrosse champions
Year Champion Points Ref
2021 Taylor Cummings 1,943 [37]
2022 Taylor Moreno 1,798 [38]
2023 Taylor Moreno 1,679 [33]
2024 Taylor Moreno 1,314

References

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  1. ^ Latimer, Jolene (September 2, 2020). "The Creation of Athletes Unlimited". auprosports.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  2. ^ Thomas, Louisa (June 3, 2021). "What if Pro Sports Leagues Were Controlled by Their Players?". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "How We Play: Softball". auprosports.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  4. ^ Minsberg, Talya (June 8, 2020). "New Pro Sports Venture Puts Women's Sports in the Players' Hands". The New York Times. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  5. ^ Jorstad, Anders (July 24, 2020). "The End of the Dynasty". auprosports.com. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  6. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Basketball Tips Off Inaugural Season In Las Vegas". Forbes. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "ATHLETES UNLIMITED TO LAUNCH BASKETBALL LEAGUE IN 2022". auprosports.com. AU Pro Sports. October 12, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  8. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Basketball to feature more WNBA players for 2023 season". onherturf.nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. October 25, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Cat Osterman crowned first Athletes Unlimited Champion". auprosports.com. September 28, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
  10. ^ "Pitcher Aleshia Ocasio wins 2021 Athletes Unlimited Softball Championship". auprosports.com. September 28, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  11. ^ "Dejah Mulipola crowned 2022 Champion in thrilling finale". auprosports.com. August 28, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  12. ^ "Odicci Alexander crowned 2023 Athletes Unlimited Softball Champion". auprosports.com. August 27, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  13. ^ "Amanda Lorenz crowned 2024 Athletes Unlimited Softball Champion". auprosports.com. August 25, 2024. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
  14. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Softball League to Launch in 2025". auprosports.com. June 4, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  15. ^ Wilson, Dave (June 4, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited announces softball league to start in 2025". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  16. ^ Brunt, Cliff (June 4, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited to add traditional team-based softball league in 2025". Associated Press. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  17. ^ Bachman, Rachel (June 4, 2024). "George Soros's Son Has Found a New Cause to Back: Pro Softball". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 4, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024. The average salary for players who compete in both the new league and the existing season will be $40,000. With bonuses, top players could earn up to $75,000.
  18. ^ Mazzeo, Mike (November 25, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited Softball League unveils GMs, coaches for inaugural season". Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved December 10, 2024. The average salaries are projected to be $40,000-$45,000 for the season.
  19. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Softball Announces Major Expansion". auprosports.com. December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "Pitcher Danielle O'Toole wins Athletes Unlimited AUX Softball competition". ESPN.com. June 27, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Rachel Garcia crowned 2023 AUX Champion". auprosports.com. June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Collins, Savanna; Lewis, Alexandra (June 26, 2024). "Bubba Nickles Crowned 2024 AUX Champion in Close Finish". auprosports.com. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  23. ^ "Player-Run U.S. Pro Volleyball League to Debut in Dallas – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth". February 26, 2021.
  24. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Volleyball League Takes Flight With A Historic Debut". Forbes.
  25. ^ a b "Athletes Unlimited Adds Women's Pro Lacrosse as Third Sports League". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  26. ^ a b "Ocasio draft-eligible again in Athletes Unlimited". ESPN.com. September 14, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  27. ^ "Women's Professional Lacrosse". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  28. ^ a b Athletes (July 31, 2021). "How Athletes Unlimited is innovating Lacrosse". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  29. ^ "A League of Their Own: Women's Lacrosse Enters New Era with Athletes Unlimited". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  30. ^ "Athletes Unlimited to Play 2022 Lacrosse Season at USA Lacrosse". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  31. ^ "Athletes Unlimited CEO Jon Patricof Confirms Lacrosse Season 2". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  32. ^ "Athletes Unlimited Announces Roster, Broadcast Schedule for Season 3". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  33. ^ a b "Taylor Moreno Edges Sam Apuzzo by 12 Points to Win Athletes Unlimited Season 3". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  34. ^ Cora (August 13, 2023). "Athletes Unlimited | Taylor Moreno repeats as Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Champion". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  35. ^ Kinnear, Matt (December 18, 2024). "Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Suspends Operations, Citing Player Availability". Inside Lacrosse. Archived from the original on December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  36. ^ "Athletes Unlimited suspends lacrosse operation". Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. December 18, 2024. Archived from the original on December 18, 2024. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
  37. ^ "Taylor Cummings is Inaugural Champion of Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  38. ^ "Ever-Mindful Taylor Moreno Wins Athletes Unlimited Crown in Nail-Biter". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
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