ESPN Adds Softball And Lacrosse From Women’s Pro League Athletes Unlimited
deadline.comESPN, which already airs hundreds of college softball and women’s lacrosse games each spring, is set to become a destination for the pro versions of those sports as well.The Disney-owned sports brand set a two-year agreement with emerging pro circuit Athletes United that will see more than 160 games air and stream on various platforms.
Of the full roster of games, 34 of them will be broadcast on ESPN or ESPN2 and 56 will be on ESPNU. Others will stream on ESPN+, as will a four-part unscripted series, Going Pro: Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse.Athletes Unlimited, which started with a focus on softball in 2020, has since branched out to lacrosse, volleyball and basketball, deploying a unique, player-centric format.
Instead of the conventional focus on city-based teams drafting players, traveling to games and determining a final winner through playoff rounds, Athletes Unlimited focuses on individual athletes and a more meaningful regular season.
Weekly drafts constantly reshuffle teams. Players compete for individual points, with one being crowned individual champion at the end of the five-week season.
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