First on "CBS Mornings" MLB announces its first major investment in women's sports with the launch of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, kicking off June 7 with national broadcasts and city tours.

Major League Baseball (MLB) has announced its first significant investment in women's sports by partnering with the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL). The new professional softball league is set to begin its inaugural season shortly, featuring four teams and national broadcasts. 

Kim Ng, the league's commissioner and former MLB general manager, emphasized the strong existing softball infrastructure and athlete pipeline as key factors for the league's potential sustainability. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred highlighted Ng's leadership experience and the organization's commitment to supporting the growth of women's professional softball.

MLB invests in women's sports for first time with new softball league

First on CBS Mornings, we are learning about an exciting announcement that could change the future of women's softball. For the first time ever, Major League Baseball is going to partner with and invest in a women's professional softball league. The new league is called the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, or AUSL. Its first season begins next weekend, right around the corner. The league's commissioner is someone you may recognize from baseball, Kim Ang. In 2020, she made history as the first woman to serve as general manager of a major U.S. men's professional sports team when she was with the Miami Marlins. We did that story. We did that story. I remember it well. Commissioner Ang joins us now, along with MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred. Great to have you both here. I want to talk to you, Commissioner, but first, Commissioner. Let's talk about the investment and the announcement today. Why are you making this move? Well, I think it's a moment in time for us. We've been very engaged in the softball space as part of our youth participation programs. And the growing popularity of women's sports motivated us to look around. We looked at startups. We looked at making an investment. And we thought AUSL was a great fit for us. And why, the first reaction my wife had when I told her we were doing this today is, I don't know about softball. Why not women in baseball? Well, you know, we do have programs that… Or a women's baseball league is what I mean. Yeah, we do have programs for girls' baseball, participation-based programs. We thought about it hard. And I think that the deciding factor was there's such a great softball infrastructure that exists, a pipeline of athletes. That is true. And we thought that we could get to the point of having a sustainable league much quicker with softball. It is a different sport and it's very exciting as well. Infrastructure, a really important word when you're starting something like this. But Kim, I'm so fascinated by you because you're a former player. You know this game. You love this game. Right now there are four teams. What does this mean today? What does this mean for the future of the league? And how excited are you about it? I think this is an incredible step for both sports. Having worked at Major League Baseball for 10 years and having led that softball division, we were always trying to connect with the women's side, with women's college softball. And so to now be able to come and have Major League Baseball support women's pro softball, and that landscape just is so meaningful to me and to so many other young women and girls playing the sport. When you look at the Women's College World Series, it routinely outdraws the men. Say that again. I didn't hear you. It outdraws the men at times, their College World Series, and so I think that's an important fact. And the game is fun to watch. It's exciting. It's a great game. I was talking with Harold Reynolds. He thinks it's—and his daughter is a very good high school player. He said, Kim, this game is so exciting. So to have former baseball players acknowledge, you know, see it with your own eyes. And he's right. Rob, you know, I once heard when it comes to commissioners, it takes one to know one. So what makes Kim the right person, the right commissioner for this new league? Well, you know, that was an easy decision for me. I've known Kim since we both started in the game longer ago than either of us probably wants to admit. We're not going to admit it today. But we worked together for 10 years in the commissioner's office. You know, Kim showed great leadership skills while she was with us, great managerial skills. Look at the throwbacks. Yeah, look at you, Kim. Oh, my goodness. She said, oh, my goodness. Baby Kim. And I had no doubt that, you know, she had the skill set to be successful in a job like this. But this isn't the first time that this has been tried to do a women's softball team. Why do you think it's different and that it will succeed this time, Kim? Yeah, you know, I think in previous iterations, I think the platforms are different. Social media has, you know, this incredible life. And many people have a voice now, right? And so it spreads much quicker than it used to. And then I think, you know, I think in past iterations it was underfunded and under-resourced. And I think, you know. And this is going to be in a couple of weeks. Next weekend it starts. June 7th is opening day. All right, so let's put softball aside for one second. Let's gather around. Okay, let's talk, Tony. Be a baseball person again for a moment. Time to get real. I'm always a baseball person. You're always a baseball person. All right, all right. You took him off the permanently ineligible list for the Hall of Fame. Right. A lot of conversation around that. I'm sure you've heard it from people. What's your general response? How do you back up the decision? Look, I would say three things. Number one, our permanently ineligible list is effectively a ban on working in the game. Just as a matter of logic, there's no reason to have a person who has passed away still on that list. Number two, Pete Rose is a part of the history of our game. Every other player, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, has been considered by the Hall of Fame, and they've made a decision. I saw no reason to leave Pete Rose out there as one of one. No consideration. And then last, I think what people don't realize is Pete Rose wasn't disciplined by Commissioner Giamatti. He entered into a settlement agreement with the league. At the time they entered into that settlement, he went on the permanently ineligible list knowing that the rules allowed the Hall of Fame to consider him. Commissioner Giamatti went out, had a press conference the day of the settlement, and he was asked about the Hall of Fame, and he said this settlement should have nothing to do with the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame should consider Pete Rose under its existing rules. So I see the decision as baseball living up to the deal that they originally made with Pete Rose. Knowing all the controversy, was it a difficult decision for you? Yeah, it's a difficult decision because people are passionate about issues like this. Yeah, because some people say he broke the rules. Yeah, and he should stay forever. Again, you know, I think when you kind of come up the side of the business that I came up, living up to your agreements is a really important thing, and this was overdue in my view. All right. Kim Ang, Rob Bamford, thank you so much for joining us. Hey, big news today. Congratulations.

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