Disney's ABC and ESPN are giving a marketing boost to the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) championship series, enlisting "Toy Story" characters Woody and Jessie to lead a pregame parade and take part in the ceremonial first pitch ahead of Saturday's opening broadcast. The game marks the first professional softball match ever shown on US broadcast television, reflecting Disney's growing investment in emerging sports and women's leagues, with executives framing the tie-in as a way to introduce the sport to younger and broader audiences.

ESPN will produce the championship series itself for the first time, having previously left production to AUSL, deploying 23 cameras including three super-slow-motion units, a drone and a Megalodon handheld camera, plus live microphones on one player per team. AUSL, which is backed by Major League Baseball and runs a 30-game regular season, only launched in earnest last year. Game two of the championship series airs on ESPN on Sunday 26 July at 2pm, with a potential deciding third game on ESPN2 the following Monday.