The Women’s Professional Softball League was active from 1997-2001. After a few years of inactivity, it was revived and rebranded in 2004 as the National Pro Fastpitch. The league has six teams: New England Riptide, Philadelphia Force, USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, and Rockford Thunder.

In the rebranding and reform process in 2002, NPF partnered with Major League Baseball as part of its ongoing efforts to connect with women. MLB signed on as an Official Development Partner and, with his help, NPF organized an all-star softball tour in 2003.

2004 was the first full season for National Pro Fastpitch. The six teams played 178 games. The 2005 season had fewer games, 144, but grew to include international teams from Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, China, Russia and Australia.

As with all growing leagues, teams have changed cities many times from inception to the present. Although New England Riptide have not completely retired as some teams have, they were left out of the 2009 season due to financial reasons.

An interesting game that NPF plays is “Bat Battle”. Each Saturday night home game, four players from each team represent a different bat maker for a home run batting contest between bat companies and players. The series’ conclusion takes place on the NPF championship weekend in Kimberly, Wisconsin.

The Women’s Pro Softball League was not the first attempt at a women’s league; there was another movement in the 1970s. The International Association for Women’s Professional Softball was founded in 1976 and remained active until the 1980s. There was a hiatus in the sport until the 1990s when the Cowles family founded the Women’s Pro Softball League. .