NCAA softball is not going to sell out giant stadiums or sprawling courts like football and basketball do. It's also not as popular as its male counterpart, NCAA baseball. However, there's a decent following for college softball, especially since ESPN has been airing regional and playoff games (source)…when they're not running poker championships and bowling tournaments.

Sadly, professional softball took a hit when the Olympic committee voted to eliminate it after the 2008 Summer Olympics and denied a bid to return for the 2014 games. (Uh-uh, not cool.)

This has made a dent in funding for the national team, but they still play softball at an elite level in the World Cup of Softball. Plus, some good news could be on the horizon—softball may make a triumphant return to the Olympics in 2020 (source).

Bottom line: it's not likely you'll become a household name. Womp womp. But if you rise in the ranks in the NCAA and as a professional fastpitch player, then you could become a role model for thousands of aspiring softball players. Even if you're not being stopped in the street for autographs, it's still pretty cool to be adored by girls and young women who want to grow up and be you someday.