Fremantle strikes Women’s Pro Baseball League partnership amid global sports push

Fremantle’s US division has signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership with the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL), marking the latest step in the superindie’s expansion into the global sports content market.

Jennifer Mullin

Through the deal, Fremantle will provide development, production and distribution support across all WPBL media initiatives, while also handling digital content, sponsorship representation, licensing and marketing strategy.

The company said it will also produce auxiliary programming, docs and other entertainment properties to help build out the league’s narrative and deepen fan engagement.

Set to debut in 2026 with six teams, WPBL says it is the only professional women’s baseball league in the US.

The announcement of the partnership comes one month after the launch of Fremantle Sports, led by former Endemol Shine exec Owain Walbyoff. The new division is focused on unscripted and factual formats and aims to grow Fremantle’s presence in premium sports IP.

The agreement was brokered by Tim Grau, Fremantle’s exec VP of business and legal affairs.

Fremantle CEO Jennifer Mullin said the partnership “marks a significant milestone in the continued advancement and diversification of our sports business.”

WPBL chair Assia Grazioli-Venier added: “By aligning with one of the world’s largest media companies, we’re amplifying the voices and stories of our league and players in ways never seen before in the sport.”