Now that it’s been well over a week since the Athletes Unlimited Softball League All-Star Cup ended, many are still questioning the outcome. While some may twist the MVP vote’s meaning to make it fit, the fact has always been that MVP votes are based on that particular game’s performance.
It’s known that Lexi Kilfoyl’s teammates supported her in the vote. They did not let that third of an inning define her, and the vote put her ahead of Baylee Klingler for the crown. If the AUSL elects to keep the All-Star Cup format going forward, should there be guidelines added for how the voting is carried out? Maybe a simple statistical requirement would have solved all of this, or a rule that MVPs have to come from a winning team.
I reached out for further explanation from the AUSL, and the only answer was that teammates and fans voted for Kilfoyl to receive the MVP votes. That was already known. I then asked about the breakdown of votes and if the players’ votes carry more weight than fans’, and was told they all carry the same. So, there’s not a percentage breakdown between the two.
What I was told is the powers that be will evaluate things over the coming months. That will lead to whether things should be changed in any way for 2027. These evaluations could include whether they feel the All-Star Cup model will continue. I don’t really believe the AUSL wants to get rid of it.
The model drew some positive PR throughout the four weeks. People seem to like it, even though more of the regular-season model is widely asked for among fans. A main complaint that I have seen is the networks used to broadcast said games. Some also believe that a person should not be captain in back-to-back weeks, or the formula should be tweaked. These are all views that I have gathered from fans. So, the main question is what is best for the growth of the AUSL?
This is still a young league. Season two of the regular-season model wrapped up with the championship in College Station, Texas, at the end of July. That feels like the model that will draw the most attention and support from fans. Of course, everyone wants to see more softball, but people like supporting actual teams also. It’s the way any major sport in America is played. It’s good for the growth of the game, and there are no confusing concepts about it.
What some newer fans may not realize is the All-Star Cup format isn’t new at all. Athletes Unlimited has crowned an individual champion this way since 2020, well before the team-based league ever existed. The city-based regular season that so many of those fans found first is actually the newer addition.
That’s where a lot of the confusion comes from. Fans who came in through the team model see the All-Star Cup and aren’t always sure what to make of it. Some are turned off by it, while others enjoy it because it’s still softball. From what I’ve seen, the Cup has never garnered the same level of popularity as the regular season in such a short amount of time, despite being around the longest.
So going forward, the question is whether a format that goes back to the very beginning still fits the fans the team-based model brought in.
