In the modern zeitgeist, professional sports continue to be primarily defined by the skill and accomplishments of male athletes. While leagues such as the WNBA have gained popularity in recent years due to generational players like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers, women’s sports remain deeply underappreciated by society. As a huge baseball fan, I was elated to hear the announcement of the Women’s Pro Baseball League in October 2024. However, as the league’s inaugural season has approached, I’ve realized how few people have come across this momentous development. Set to debut in August, the WPBL marks a historic moment in sports as the first official women’s professional baseball league since 1954. If we hope to truly live by the mantra “everyone watches women sports,” it is crucial for fans to get excited for this league to keep it alive for years to come.
A brief history
To fully appreciate the significance of the return of women’s pro baseball, it is necessary to understand the origins of women in the sport. The first ever women’s pro league was the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, founded in 1943 by Philip K. Wrigley, then-owner of the Chicago Cubs. MLB players were being drafted left and right to fight in World War II, and there were serious talks about cancelling that year’s season. Afraid of the lost revenue, Wrigley decided to create a women’s league using the Cub’s scouting network. The AAGPBL produced several historically notable players such as Jean Faut, the only pitcher in AAGPBL history to throw several perfect games, Sophie Kurys, the record holder for most stolen bases in a single season with 201, and legendary first baseperson Dorothy Kamenshek. Unfortunately, pure skill and dedication were not the only factors considered for players hoping to participate. There were strict rules and regulations regarding looks and poise, which all players had to adhere to. The league’s owners felt it was important for players to appear feminine to retain fans. Despite the impressive skill and efforts of the players as well as the consistent fanbase, the AAGPBL was disbanded in 1954 due to economic issues and lack of funding.
During the AAGPBL run, two other leagues emerged, the National and International Girls Baseball Leagues, although both were less notable and extremely short lived. Over 40 years later, the Ladies League Baseball was established in 1997 due to a resurgence in public interest thanks to the 1992 hit film, A League of Their Own. The very first women’s professional league to appear since the demise of the AAGPBL, this franchise proved significant due to its favoring of traditional overhand pitching, as well as standard rules and equipment. However, the LLB severely lacked marketing and funding, and shut down after only two seasons.
WPBL Announcement and beginnings
In October 2024, the WPBL announced it’s debut as the first official women’s professional baseball league in over 70 years. Founded by the first woman to coach a professional men’s baseball team, Justine Siegal, and sports businessman Keith Stein, the league was created in response to a recent increase in interest in existing women’s sports leagues, such as the WNBA, NWSL, and PWHL.
“The Women’s Pro Baseball League is here for all the girls and women who dream of a place to showcase their talents and play the game they love. We have been waiting over 70 years for a professional baseball league we can call our own. Our time is now.” – Justine Siegal
While this historic announcement gained traction with many diehard baseball fans, it did not reach most general sports fans. In fact, the lack of publicity the league is receiving is already having an effect on its debut. Originally, founders planned to have six teams, primarily based in the Northeast. However, in hopes to reach a wider audience, it was later decided it would have four teams that are more geographically dispersed. These teams were announced in October 2025 to be based out of New York City, Boston, San Fransisco, and Los Angeles. For its inaugural season, however, all WPBL games will be played at a neutral location: Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois.
Tryouts for the league took place in August 2025 in Washington D.C. The first three days of tryouts occurred at the Washington Nationals Youth Academy and the final day of evaluation at Nationals Park. Each day, only the strongest players were invited to return, with only the top 130 being selected to go to the WPBL draft this past November. The draft pool consisted of athletes from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Australia. Players come from a diverse mix of athletic backgrounds including college standouts, notable softball legends, and international stars.
what to expect from the wpbl
From the draft, each team acquired 30 players with a 15-person active roster. Currently, the teams are working both individually on personal skills and together on team chemistry. There are several training games coming up including Team Boston playing against the MLB’s Boston Red Sox on March 19. While the league is maintaining several traditional baseball rules and regulations, it will slightly differ from what fans are used to. Games will be played in seven innings and players will use aluminum bats with no specific length or width requirements as of now. Similar to the LLB, the league will feature overhand pitching. The entire season will occur over eight weeks beginning August 1. This includes six weeks of regular season games and two weeks of playoffs. Games will take place Wednesday through Sunday with each team playing two or three games a week.
There are several notable players to look out for as opening day approaches. Mo’ne Davis, the first female pitcher to win a Little League World Series, was a first round draft pick to Team Los Angeles. Also drafted to LA is Ayami Sato, Womens’ Baseball World Cup champion and MVP for Team Japan, as well as the first woman to play professional men’s baseball in Canada. Kelsie Whitmore, veteran of the Atlantic League as well as the U.S. Women’s National Team, was the first player drafted overall for Team San Fransisco. New York’s first selection, Kylee Lahners, transitioned from a career in softball to baseball at age 25 and is now a crucial member of U.S. Women’s National Team. Personally, I am extremely excited to see Lexi Hastings, fellow UConn Husky and first round pick for Team Boston.
How you can support women’s pro baseball
When a new sport or league emerges, it can be difficult to know what you can do to support them, especially if you are not seeing much publicity surrounding their debut. Luckily, there are several ways that you can encourage the WPBL, even if you are not a fan of baseball. Tickets are already on sale for the entire season, and seeing as it begins in the summer, it is the perfect excuse to travel to go see a game. Official team merchandise is also being sold, so you can easily buy some gear to support your city. Games will be available to watch online on the league’s official YouTube channel, as well as various streaming services yet to be announced. There will be consistent highlights and updates posted on all official social media platforms, specifically Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Finally, if you are not a baseball fan but want to do your part to support women athletes, tell people what you know! If there are people in your life that are fans of the sport, explain to them the significance of the league and spread the word.
Sports are a huge part of culture all over the world. Who we choose to root for becomes a part of our culture and can create community wherever we go. As a female sports fan, it can be frustrating to not always be able to find that sense of community. For that reason, it is crucial for us to support advancements for women in the world of athletics. Just as Siegal said, our time is now. All the women throughout history who have fought for a place in professional baseball have led us to this momentous occasion. The WPBL needs the support of sports fans everywhere, so take the initiative and be the one to give that support.