The AUSL “hopes that it can learn a few things from the WNBA” as it aspires to “reach the stratosphere where the WNBA has currently taken up solo residence,” according to Jenni Carlson of the OKLAHOMAN. The AUSL has the “benefit of the current moment and past missteps.” That can be seen in the league’s structure, where there are no team owners. Instead, the AUSL falls under the umbrella of Athletes Unlimited, which owns all the teams. AUSL Commissioner Kim Ng said, “The single-owner entity model, particularly when you’re starting up a league, makes so much sense. You want the standards to be great for the women. You want policies that align with your vision to be able to be pushed through quickly.” She added, “All of those things make decision making much easier as opposed to trying to get six, eight, 12 different people aligned for some sort of consensus.” Carlson noted players “not feeling heard created a contentious situation between the WNBA and its players that bubbled over last year.” Even though it was ultimately remedied, “no doubt the AUSL wants to avoid infighting.” A year ago, the AUSL entered into a partnership with MLB, which provides an “undisclosed amount of funding as well as a commitment to bolster the new league’s visibility.” It is a “similar strategy to the WNBA being backed by the NBA.” The hope is that the league “grows to a point where franchises become so valuable, so profitable and so desirable that they are sold to local owners” (OKLAHOMAN, 4/26).
