Rule42 Sports Group Takes the Field with Significant AUSL Investment and Softball America Acquisition

From amateur scouting, rankings and talent development to investment in the world’s leading professional league, Rule42 now a force in softball

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rule42 Sports Group announced a major investment in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), the premier women’s professional softball league, and the acquisition of Softball America, the leading source of news and rankings for softball players. The complementary moves position Rule42 to play a key role in the development and expansion of amateur and professional softball as global interest in the sport continues to grow.

“This is an amazing time for women’s softball. Fan interest is incredibly strong and the opportunities for athletes at both the amateur and professional levels have never been better,” said Renée James, Rule42 Sports Group’s founder and owner. “Rule42 sees the potential for even more growth, and we’re backing that belief with action. By investing in the AUSL and buying Softball America we’re going all-in on softball.”

Founded in 2025, the AUSL features the world’s best professional softball players. The six-team league recently completed a standout second season, highlighted by a 152% surge in average ESPN viewership across 47 broadcast games (up from 18 in 2025). On the ground, the league celebrated 25 sellout games, including 11 of 12 sold out home games in Portland, and a 110% year-over-year surge in merchandise sales. This rapid scaling of fan interest has attracted major new partners including adidas and Labcorp alongside returning sponsors like Sephora and Rawlings, among others.

Rule42 Sports Group will be among the league’s largest investors and Renée James will join its Board of Directors. The AUSL is backed by Athletes Unlimited, Major League Baseball, the Milwaukee Brewers and their owner Mark Attanasio, and Ryan Sanders Baseball.

“Having someone with Renée’s extensive business experience and background take a substantial equity stake in the AUSL reinforces the league’s value and enormous upside,” said Jon Patricof, CEO and Co-Founder of Athletes Unlimited. “Renée has built multi-billion-dollar, high-growth companies and has a deep passion for sports. We’re excited to have her join the team.”

In addition, Rule42 is acquiring Softball America. Softball America is the leading source for news, rankings and stories about softball and provides prospect and player evaluations across college softball and high school recruiting classes. Its annual top 150 collegiate list, released on August 18, is considered the definitive ranking of players.

“Joining Rule42 is a significant milestone for the Softball America team and our entire community,” said Tara Henry, Vice President of Softball at Rule42 and GM of Softball America. “With Rule42’s backing, we can create more opportunities for athletes, expand pathways to discovery and success, and bring greater visibility to the sport while advancing the continued growth of the game at every level.”

Rule42 Sports Group is owned by Renée James, who is also the founder and CEO of Rule42 Sports Technology Group, a newly launched sports technology company dedicated to modernizing amateur athlete discovery. A well-known entrepreneur and technology industry veteran, James was the founder and CEO of energy-efficient semiconductor pioneer Ampere (sold to Softbank in 2025) and former president of Intel Corporation.

About Rule42

Founded and owned by entrepreneur and technology industry veteran Renée James, Rule42 Sports Group invests in high-value sports brands and services. Rule42 Sports Technology Group is a sports technology company. For more information, visit rule42.com and Rule42 Sports Group.

About The AUSL

The premier professional softball league in the U.S., the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) launched in 2025 with four teams and expanded to six teams ahead of the 2026 season while anchoring those teams in home markets for the first time. Led by Commissioner Kim Ng and featuring investment from Major League Baseball, advisors including softball legends Jennie Finch, Jessica Mendoza and Natasha Watley as well as a multi-year media rights deal with ESPN, the AUSL is home to the best softball players in the world competing on the sport’s biggest professional stage. For more information, follow @theauslofficial and visit theausl.com.

About Softball America

Softball America identifies the current and future stars of the game. With a passionate editorial staff comprised of experts (travel ball to college to professional to international), they strive to provide the highest level of expertise and insight about the game of softball.