MLB should develop league for women’s fastpitch softball

Over the years, the NCAA Women’s College World Series has been breaking its own attendance and viewership records and it’s time for MLB to take notice.

The annual battle between the D1 NCAA colleges continues to prove that women’s fastpitch softball deserves a larger audience and MLB has the tools to bring it to the masses.

Yes, there already is a professional league for women, National Pro Fastpitch (NPF). But, with only six teams (three in the US), there isn’t much exposure for these elite athletes who play this exciting and fast-paced game.

National Pro Fastpitch has three US teams, the Chicago Bandits, Cleveland Comets, and USSSA Pride. In 2016, pitcher Monica Abbott set a record signing a $1 million contract with the Houston Scrap-Yard Dogs, but that team is no longer around, having split with NPF in 2018. Most professional softball players make about $6000 for a season of play.

Of course, the argument against a professional women’s softball league is that the past leagues haven’t been successful. People want to see fastpitch and local audiences will support their local teams and the NCAA WCWS proves it. The attendance at the Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma game set a record on May 30, 2019:

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At my local single-A minor-league ballpark, the average attendance per game so far in 2019 is 3,409. It doesn’t even have seating to hold 9,000 fans.

The trick is to create a product that people want to watch. ESPN has been working on the formula for years and the 2019 version is looking good. But, it’s the women on the field who are providing the real show.

Take Samantha Show, for example. The OSU Cowgirls pitcher who rakes was a one-woman show against the Florida Gators on May 30. She pitched seven innings, giving up one hit and one run. In the same game, she hit two home runs, which were the only two runs OSU scored that day. Along with her prowess as a pitcher and hitter, she also has become legendary for her bat flips. It’s hard to look away when she’s playing.

Then, there’s Taylor McQuillin who pitches for Arizona. She finished her senior year with an ERA of 1.52. Of course, that’s impressive on its own, but McQuillin is legally blind in one eye!

And, there’s the entire UCLA team. On Monday night, the team scored a WCWS record-setting 16 runs against Oklahoma. Four of the UCLA runs were home runs and one had an exit velocity of 110 MPH according to the ESPN broadcast. Oklahoma batters recorded two home runs. The final score was 16-3.

This exciting play doesn’t have to stop when the WCWS is finished. If the MLB were to get involved in promoting and supporting fastpitch, these women could continue to showcase their skills to a wide audience. According to MiLB.com, over 40 million people attended minor league baseball games. Fans clearly enjoy going to their local ballparks and adding fastpitch to the mix would open up even more opportunities for fans of baseball and softball alike.

It’s no secret that MLB made a serious amount of money in 2018. With the MLB raking in over $10 billion in revenues, why not open up a new market and get professional female athletes into the mix? Imagine what this would do for young women all over the world. Starting a professional fastpitch league with the backing of the MLB would give the sport the financial backing it needs to go to the level it deserves.

Baseball and softball should go hand-in-hand, especially as the work it takes to get to the highest level is the same. Compare the swings of the best MLB players to the best NCAA players. Take a look at Oklahoma third-baseman Sydney Romero‘s swing and the triple that ensued.

Not only can these women hit, but they’ve serious chops on the bases and in the field. They even know how to get the attention of cameras while supporting each other in the dugout.

Fastpitch softball has everything that professional baseball has and more, as the game moves along much faster than men’s baseball. After watching a few fastpitch games, you’ll quickly notice that it is anything but boring and slow (which are the most common complaints about baseball). The women can play and they deliver an entertaining and competitive product.

It’s time. These women are ready to go to the next level. They are ready to make money playing a game that is easy to love. The only thing holding them back is exposure and there is one organization that can deliver: Major League Baseball.