USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectThe 2026 AUSL championship became the most-watched professional softball game on record, as the softball league continued to report strong viewership in its second season. The championship game between the Utah Talons and Chicago Bandits averaged 732,000 viewers on ABC Sunday, a record for a softball game. The game was the first professional softball game to air on broadcast television. While professional softball is making significant gains, college softball remains the sport’s biggest television draw. This year, Game 2 of the Women’s College World Series between Texas Tech and Texas averaged 2.48 million viewers across ESPN and ESPNU, making it the most-watched college softball game ever.