AUX Softball Press Conference Transcript
Friday, November 17, 2023
Heskett Center

Panel Members
Brad Pittman – Wichita State Senior Associate AD
Josh Howell – Vice President of Sports Development at Visit Wichita
Kristi Bredbenner – Head Softball Coach at Wichita State
Sydney McKinney – Current Athletes Unlimited Athlete and Former Wichita State Softball Student-Athlete
Cheri Kempf – Director of Partnership Marketing at Athletes Unlimited Brad Pittman Opening Statement
"We are thankful and appreciate having these staff from AU pro softball here with us for this very special announcement. We're excited also to welcome Syd back home. She definitely was a difference-maker in her time here. It was exciting to not only watch her play in Wichita, but it's going to be exciting to watch her play next summer, but also, we will be excited to see an entire field of difference makers that will be here next summer. Having had the opportunity to watch a few games last summer in Chicago, I am excited to see the caliber of softball and I'm hopeful that the folks here in Wichita will be excited to see it as well. Also, a special thank you to Cheri Kempf with AU pro softball. Having had a lot of conversations with her via text phone, video, even some site visits, she probably got tired of us at some point. But it was easy to see her passion for AU pro softball and it's easy to see that with the entire Athletes Unlimited contingent that is here today. We are thankful that they are placing their trust in us to host this event, and we are excited to show how passionate the fanbase in Wichita is. This event is also a testament to the hard work that Kristi, her staff and the student athletes have done over the past decade here. They have put in the work to build a foundation for this program that our university and city is very proud of. That hard work has translated not only to success on the field, but to success off the field with some facility renovations and things that are happening around our softball program, which is so exciting to see. They are a big reason why we have had the opportunity bring this event here. So, we are excited about this opportunity. We are excited about the opportunity to grow the sport of softball in Wichita, to showcase our university and our city and our state on the national stage."
 
Cheri Kempf Opening Statement
"I want to start out by thanking everybody for being here with us today. We appreciate all the support. And I think all you have to do is look at the back of the room (referencing media members) and know that's why we came to Wichita. We were confident that this is the type of community that will receive this event with open arms and show up and see these amazing athletes. I am going to give a shout out to your very own Taylor Eldridge, who said it best this morning. He said, "Sydney McKinney is returning to Wichita State and bringing some of the best softball players in the world with her," And that's what we are super proud of. I will tell you at Athletes Unlimited, we are really proud of our softball leagues and the professional softball that we put on the field twice a year. We are especially proud of the athletes that played. We had a classic moment last year when Sydney McKinney was the very first draft pick. But I will tell you, the question that I've been asked the most is why Wichita? And I will tell you, it's because I believe in this region. I believe in this city. And I think that this is an area and a demographic that will appreciate the caliber of play that you're going to see for 18 games in June. So, we're thrilled. I will tell you, I thank Brad and Jessica, who did so much of the work in getting us here, putting together bid and coming out to Chicago to see us. Visit Wichita, Wichita State, and there's without a doubt, no question we would not be here without the support of Coach Bredbenner. So, we appreciate it. We're going to be happy to take this field after you guys finish up in Oklahoma City. We'll take it over to you."
 
Josh Howell Opening Statement
"In the past few years, this city has seen some great sporting events and together as a community, we've had some incredible wins thanks to amazing partners like Wichita State Athletics. With the addition of Athletes Unlimited's AUX pro softball season, 2024 will certainly be a thrilling year for sports in Wichita, solidifying Wichita as the heart of sports. Visit Wichita is excited to be a part of hosting this exciting event, and we look forward to providing an enthusiastic welcome to the athletes, coaches, families, and fans who visit our amazing city. Before I wrap up, I want to take a moment to thank our team at Visit Wichita, several of whom are here with us today. Whether it's helping secure an event operated event, market an event, it's truly a team effort and I'm very grateful for all that they do. And a special thanks, Cheri mentioned it, but a special thanks to our senior sport sales manager, manager Jessica Viramontez, a former softball player herself. She put a lot of time and effort into this bid, so I'm grateful for her efforts. Thanks again to Brad and the entire team at Wichita State Athletics for their efforts in helping land this event. And to Cheri and the team at Athletes Unlimited for putting their trust in us."
 
Wichita State Head Softball Coach Kristi Bredbenner Opening Statement
"I didn't know I was going to have to talk this much, but I'll never shy away from the microphone. You know, I think the biggest thing for us, as you see the landscape of softball over the last 10 years is the amount of people watching it and the growth that we're seeing in the sport, the number of people tuning in to ESPN+ and the number of softball games that are now available to be streamed or that are on local ESPN and to bring something like AUX to Wichita gives our fans a firsthand experience to see it live. You know, I think you talk a little bit about Shocker Softball the last couple of years, we have filled the stands a few times. We've had some sold-out games. I would challenge our community, our city and sports lovers to sell out all 18 games because Cheri hit the nail on the head when she talked and quoted Taylor Eldridge. This is some of the best softball that our fans are going to see and some greats. And obviously for all of us, one of the most exciting things is to have Syd back. I think it was probably one of the main reasons that Wichita was an attraction. We all wish that a number 25 could play shortstop for the Shockers, at least for the rest of my career, right? I mean, that's what we all wanted. So it's exciting for us as a softball program and it's a very proud moment for us to see her get to get back on the field and play at Wilkins Stadium again and bring all her friends who are just as good as she is. They love the game. There's passion for the game and, you know, for the last several years, my hashtag on most of my tweets of has always been invest in women and I think that's what I'm the proudest of with this situation. I'm very thankful to Brad and to Cheri and Visit Wichita, because it's an honor to invest in professional women's sports, and it's an honor for Wichita to be able to host something like this. I hope that we continue to keep investing in women and really taking the time to come out and watch them play softball this next summer, because it's going to be a really great show that our fans come out and watch. More than anything, I'm going to slide this over to the person that's probably been the most responsible for this. Syd McKinney was singlehandedly the best softball player that's played at Wichita State. To me, one of the best softball players over the past decade, and I'm going to let her say a few words about how excited she is to come back to work at these games."
 
Sydney McKinney Opening Statement
"I remember we were on an away trip when Brad Pittman asked me to make a video to place a bid for AUX, and I was really excited, but it felt like a far stretch because, you know, we were still in season. I didn't think that season was going to end. I was kind of in that senior year thinking that this is where I'm going to play forever kind of thing. When the season ended, I was really sad. I didn't ever think that I would get the opportunity to play at Wilkins Stadium again. So, when I got the text that there might be an opportunity to play again and that Wilkins might be the host, I was super excited. It's honestly a dream. It feels like worlds are colliding. I feel like I'm growing into AU and I still have so much family here in Wichita, so it's really cool that we're combining. You guys get to see all the awesome players that get to play with me as well as bring all of our fans. I may have mentioned to Cheri that we did sell out several games, so I really do challenge you guys to come out and I'm just super thankful for everybody that made this happen."
 
Q: Syd, obviously a big moment for you. You started your career here at Wichita State and now it's coming back to Wichita. When you first heard about coming back to WSU to play, can you tell me what was going through your head?
A (Syd):
"I think the first thing I went through my head was about how the previous teams that were recent, we all had a lot of chatter about how we really wished that we were going to get to play at the new stadium with all the new renovations and stuff, because I feel like the teams recently have really earned that for this program. We've had conversations where we're really bummed that we didn't get to and now I'm lucky enough to get to. So, I'm really excited about that. I think that's what I'm most excited for. I went out on the field today and the turf looks amazing, the dirt looks amazing, the new dugout. I'm just so excited to see all the renovations and get to play on the new field."
 
Q:  We talk about kind of like bringing more sports into Wichita. We're also seeing a rise in women's sports, and it's starting to become more trendy and more popular. So, can you talk a little bit about what that means to you that we're bringing it to Wichita and possibly grow into something bigger?
A (Syd):
"Yeah. Being that this is the first women's pro sport in Wichita, I think it's huge for women's sports. Like Cheri touched on, this is a great region for women's sports, especially with softball. You see all the big powerhouse teams, including us in the region. So, it's really cool, I think it's huge. I think our fans are going to show out and I think it's going to attract a lot of people to come watch our sport."
 
Q: Cheri, kind of tell people what they can kind of expect to see with AUX and talk about the season, what we're going to start seeing as the ramp up and what we can expect.
A (Cheri):
"First off, what you can expect to see is spectacular softball. I actually worked with the broadcast team, and I will tell you that every single game we could submit a SportsCenter Top 10 play and sometimes multiple plays per game. So, you're going to see the game played by the best. It's a very dense talent pool with 42 total players. So, when you think about that, that is just elite level talent all in one spot. I think that's the biggest thing that excites me, but I will tell you, Athletes Unlimited has some nuances to it, and that is 42 players come to town. You are going to see softball as you know it. The game is played with very similar rules that you see in college competition, but what you also see that you don't normally see in team sports is a leaderboard. So, 42 players go on the leaderboard and three times they will play a series against each other and those top three players that are on the leaderboard will be team captains and they will draft their teams. So, you will see those combinations. You'll see nine total combinations of teams while we're here and I think you get to appreciate the game, but I think the structure of it and the nuances of it allow fans to dig a little deeper and have a little more fun with each play that's happening. I think that's the advantage of Athletes Unlimited. To your point about when will we get started, we kick off June 10th is the first day of competition. The players will probably arrive about 10 days before that to do some training and prep. So, all of that will pretty much the entire month of June here in Wichita."
 
Q: How much competition was there for this event and what set Wichita apart?
A (Cheri):
"So, we did a national bid for it. There was a good bit of competition and interest. I think I said this earlier today. I think what separates Wichita is with Athletes Unlimited, we want to go where people want us and where they believe that that will be demonstrated by the crowds that come out, the attendance and the support that we get generally from the city itself. And so I think it was first of all, Brad and Jessica represented that right off the bat and submitting the bid and all the work that goes into something like that was very thorough. And then just their continued interest. You know, you answer them, they answer right back, and they pulled no punches, that they wanted this to be in Wichita and that they were willing to do what it what it took to get here. I think that's a good feeling for us within any of our sports."
 
Q: Coach, what does it say about your program to be able to host an event like this?
A: (Coach B)
"Well, obviously, it's a tribute to our fans. They've come out in droves and supported us over the last couple of years. We're excited with the success that our program's had over these last couple of years and hope to continue to have that success, but more than anything, I think that it speaks volumes about Wichita. It's a great community. I always do my recruiting speech and talk about how great Wichita is. And it is I mean, we've got a little bit of everything from a Lululemon to Trader Joe's, and you've got every restaurant you can think of that's going to affect your waistline in a big way. I think at the end of the day, they've got people that love Wichita, and they want to support, the local community, the local fans, the local sports, and they're going to come out and do their thing and I think our program has seen that firsthand. I think seeing the number of supporters that you see when you go out to a restaurant and you're wearing your Shocker softball gear and people are giving you high fives and hugs and stopping you and asking you about the game and how the team's doing, you know, to me, that is a small-town community feel in a big city. I think Athletes Unlimited will thrive because I think the athletes will love the attention because it's a great attention to have. It's fun. The fans will want to be a part of that and just knowing what surrounds this facility and the restaurants and the stores and different things like that. I think our athletes are going to have a good time and they're going to feel special, and I think our community makes that happen."
 
Q: Talk about the expectations and predictions, both economically as far as also just simply getting new people to come visit and check out our city.
A (Josh):
"This event is huge for us. Obviously, you had the economic impact like you mentioned, the athletes, their families, hopefully lots of fans coming to town for this type of an event. They're going to be here a long time, staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, shopping at our stores, all of that. But this event to me is a lot more than just economic impact. It's also broadcast live nationally on ESPN networks. So, for two weeks you're going to have Wichita from the center across the nation. So you have the national impact and then we've talked about up here before, but the quality of life for locals, the fact that you can come out and watch some of the best softball players in the world right here in our own backyard, whether you're a softball fan or just a sports fan in general. I think it's definitely significant in terms of economic impact for the city, but it's a lot more than just that."