The 2025 college softball season is set to get underway on Thursday, and as the fast-growing sport in America, there will be more eyes on the sport than ever before–thanks in part to ESPN.
According to a release from ESPN PR, the network is set to provide another industry-leading level of coverage for the sport, featuring over 3,200 regular season games.
“ESPN is ready for another season of industry-leading coverage of Division I college softball, with nearly 150 matchups across its linear platforms: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ACC Network,” the release reads. “The remaining 3,100+ games will be streamed on ESPN+, SECN+ and ACCNX.”
Here’s a list of the games coming to ESPN across several network options:
- Nearly 150 Games Across ESPN Linear Platforms: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ACC Network
- Eleven Top 5 Regular Season Matchups
- Nearly 2,600 Regular Season Games on ESPN+
- Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational Presented by EvoShield Returns for Sixth Year
- Conference Championships: Big 12, ACC and SEC All Slated for ESPN; American Airing on ESPN2
ESPN is ready for another season of industry-leading coverage of Division I college softball, with nearly 150 matchups across its linear platforms: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network and ACC Network. The remaining 3,100+ games will be streamed on ESPN+, SECN+ and ACCNX.
The action begins with the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational Presented by EvoShield – ESPN Events’ owned-and-operated softball tournament – showcasing 16 teams in 40 games over the course of four days (Feb. 13-16). Details regarding participating teams, schedule of play and commentator teams can be found here.
Schedule Highlights via ESPN PR:
- Appearances by 20 of the com/USA Softball Preseason Top 25 on ESPN platforms in the regular season
- Nearly 60 regular season television appearances by the preseason Top 5 teams: Texas (13 appearances), Florida (13), Oklahoma (14), Oklahoma State (9), Tennessee (9)
- Eleven Top 5 matchups across ESPN platforms
- March 15: 1 Texas at No. 2 Florida (SEC Network)
- March 17: 1 Texas at No. 2 Florida (SEC Network)
- April 9: 3 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Oklahoma State (ESPN2)
- April 11: 5 Tennessee at No. 1 Texas (ESPNU)
- April 12: 5 Tennessee at No. 1 Texas (ESPN)
- April 23: 1 Texas at No. 4 Oklahoma State (ESPNU)
- April 25: 1 Texas at No. 3 Oklahoma (ESPNU)
- April 26: 1 Texas at No. 3 Oklahoma (ESPN2)
- May 1: 3 Oklahoma at No. 2 Florida (SEC Network)
- May 2: 3 Oklahoma at No. 2 Florida (SEC Network)
- May 3: 3 Oklahoma at No. 2 Florida (ESPNU)
SEC Network
SEC Network will highlight more than 50 matchups throughout the regular season leading into the SEC Tournament in Athens, Ga. (May 6-10). As in previous years, SEC Network is set to televise the early rounds of the tournament, with the semifinals on ESPN2 and championship game on ESPN. SEC Network+ will feature more than 275 additional SEC softball games.
As touted in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Top 25, 11 SEC squads find themselves amongst the ranks: Texas (No. 1), Florida (No. 2), Oklahoma (No. 3), Tennessee (No. 5), Texas A&M (No. 7), LSU (No. 9), Alabama (No. 11), Arkansas (No. 13), Georgia (No. 14), Missouri (No. 15), and Mississippi State (No. 25).
ACC Network
ACC Network will feature more than 45 regular season games on linear. The entirety of the tournament through the semifinals will air on the network, with the championship game slated for ESPN. ACC Network Extra will stream more than 275 additional ACC softball games during the 2025 season.
The ACC boasts five teams in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Preseason Top 25: Duke (No. 8), Florida State (No. 12), Virginia Tech (No. 18), California (No. 21), and Stanford (No. 23).
Big 12
Big 12 coverage on ESPN platforms is led by the fourth-ranked Oklahoma State Cowgirls, who appear on ESPN linear platforms nine times, along with numerous ESPN+ appearances. The 10th-ranked Texas Tech Raiders, led by their ace pitcher NiJaree Canady, are featured twice on ESPNU, alongside the slate of ESPN+ matchups on their schedule.
ESPN+
ESPN+ will highlight almost 2,600 regular season games representing 21 conferences including the American, America East, Atlantic Ten, ASUN, Big 12, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Conference USA, Horizon League, Ivy League, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, SoCon, Southland, Sun Belt, West Coast and Western Athletic conferences.
During the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational Presented by EvoShield, ESPN+ will stream teams from the ACC, SEC, Big Ten and Mountain West conferences. All games throughout the four-day invitational can also be found on ESPN+ and the entirety of Day 1 action will stream on Disney+.
ESPN+ will showcase two top 20 matchups in February: No. 11 Alabama at No. 17 Arizona on Feb. 8 (7 p.m. ET) and No. 1 Texas at No. 17 Arizona on Feb. 22 (5 p.m.).
Conference Championships
For the first time ever, ESPN is home to a tripleheader of Conference Championships on Saturday, May 10. Action starts off with the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship at noon from Oklahoma City, Okla. and play rolls on with a 2:30 p.m. first pitch from the ACC Championship in Brighton, Mass. Rounding out the day of championships on ESPN at 5 p.m. is the SEC Championship Presented by T-Mobile 5G Home Internet.
Also on Saturday, the American will crown its conference champion on ESPN2. First pitch from Tampa, Fla. is slated for noon.
The Road to the Women’s College World Series
ESPN is once again the exclusive home of the NCAA Division I Softball postseason, from the Selection Show to every pitch of the NCAA Women’s College World Series at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Okla. (May 29-June 5/6).
