National Pro Fastpitch
Current season, competition or edition: 2017 National Pro Fastpitch season
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| Formerly |
Women's Pro Fastpitch, Women's Pro Softball League |
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| Sport | Softball |
| Inaugural season | 2004 |
| Commissioner | Cheri Kempf |
| No. of teams | 5 |
| Country |
 United States
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| Most recent champion(s) |
Chicago Bandits |
| Most titles | Chicago Bandits (4) |
| TV partner(s) |
National CBS Sports Network Regional AT&T Sports Networks Comcast SportsNet Fox Sports Networks |
| Official website | www |
National Pro Fastpitch (NPF), formerly the Women's Pro Softball League (WPSL), is the only professional women's softball league in the United States. NPF currently features five teams: USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago Bandits, Texas Charge, and the Houston Scrap Yard Dawgs. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the Cowles Cup.
The WPSL was founded in 1997 and folded in 2001; the NPF revived the league in 2004.
Current NPF teams in tan
Former NPF members or defunct teams in blue
On November 21, 2002, WPSL announced a rebranding strategy and official name change to National Pro Fastpitch. Major League Baseball partnered with NPF as its Official Development Partner as a continuation of MLB's efforts to connect with female athletes and women in general.
As "Official Development Partner" in 2003, Major League Baseball provided introductions to Major League Baseball Clubs, community partners, broadcast partners and to MLB.com.
As part of its long-term sales, marketing and promotional campaign, NPF featured an All-Star Tour in 2003. The tour provided each of the league's expansion team owners with tools to lay the groundwork in their marketplace for the official launch of league play in 2004.
In 2004, the league relaunched with six teams in six markets: California Sunbirds in ; Arizona Heat in Tucson, Arizona; Texas Thunder in Houston, Texas; Akron Racers in Akron, Ohio ; New England Riptide in Lowell, Massachusetts; and NY/NJ Juggernaut in Montclair, New Jersey.
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