Sunday Scroll: Where everybody knows her name
From The GIST Team |
Happy Sunday!Welcome to The GIST’s Sunday Scroll, where we dive deep into one timely sports topic. With the rise in women’s sports comes an evolution in women’s sports fandom — pull up a stool and let’s explore an exciting facet of the sports industry: the women’s sports bar, where everybody knows her name, and your game’s always on with sound. |
Quote of The Day |
These bars are going to uplift and amplify women and women's sports. When we have more viewers, it gains attention. The excuse of not being able to watch isn’t going to be an excuse any more. | |
— Three-time WNBA champion, NY Liberty star Breanna Stewart, on the rise of women’s sports bars and their role in bringing more fans to the game. Hopefully, they serve red wine, too. |
The Scroll |
🔍 The background
Source: Ed Zurga/Getty Images
There’s never been a better time to be a women’s sports fan. No matter who you’re cheering for, more comprehensive media deals and increased exposure have made it easier to watch your fave athletes and leagues are reaching more fans than ever.
Beyond being able to watch the game, bars are an essential part of sports culture, providing a place to both connect and commiserate. Nevertheless, while they aren’t specifically labeled “men’s sports bars,” there seems to be an unwritten rule that men’s sports will dominate the screens.
But with every “sorry, I’m not putting that on” came an opportunity. Bars dedicated to women’s sports are popping up across North America, proving their popularity and profitability. From Vogue to NPR to Forbes, the masses and investors are noticing the value in offering a safe, welcoming space for women’s sports fans. If you build it, they will come. |
🏅 The trailblazer
Source: FOS/X
2512 NE Broadway Street. Write it down, drop a pin, tattoo it on your arm — remember the address of The Sports Bra in Portland, Oregon. The now-famous bar started as an idea in Jenny Nguyen’s head as she watched the thrilling 2018 NCAA Division 1 women’s basketball final on a small, muted TV at a pub. The desire to create a place to watch, celebrate, and support women’s sports stayed with Nguyen for years but didn’t start taking shape until the then-executive chef lost her job in 2020 due to the pandemic.
The Sports Bra officially opened its doors on April 1, 2022, just in time for the NCAA women’s Final Four. Would-be customers lined up around the block for a chance to experience the first-ever sports bar dedicated to women's sports, and the media coverage hasn’t stopped since.
In a city known for its trailblazers, Nguyen’s concept stands out as a proof point in the case for women’s sports. Enough so that Serena Williams’ husband, aka entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, invested earlier this year with a plan to franchise The Bra.
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Together With The GIST
👕 You asked, we answered
Source: The GIST
Designed by and for GISTers, our capsule collection is the perfect way to authentically express your sports fandom and your support of women in sports. With hoodies, crewnecks, tees, baseball caps and totes, and inclusive sizing ranging from XS to 3XL, you’re sure to find a piece (or two…or three *winks*) that you’ll love. Thank you for being a GISTer — we can’t wait to see how you rock your new swag. |
🌟 Names to know
Source: RoughTumblePub/X
☕ Rough & Tumble Pub | Seattle, Washington Founded by longtime soccer aficionado Jen Barnes, Rough & Tumble Pub is Seattle’s home for women’s sports. Rough & Tumble opened shortly after The Sports Bra in December 2022 and in less than two years, they’ve established themselves as one of the top sports bars in the Emerald City with 18 TVs and seating for 250 fans.
⚾ A Bar of Their Own | Minneapolis, Minnesota All women’s sports, all the time? Say less. Inspired by The Sports Bra, Jillian Hiscock got the idea to open a women’s sports–focused bar after she was unable to find a place to watch the Minnesota Gophers women’s softball team play in the NCAA tournament. A Bar of Their Own opened in March 2024 and is already beloved by Twin City sports fans.
⚽ The 99ers Sports Bar | Denver, Colorado Named for the barrier-breaking USWNT squad that won the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Denver’s first bar that caters primarily to women’s sports will open its doors this Friday, November 22nd. Founders Annie Weaver and Miranda Spencer started off as teammates on a competitive women’s flag football team before becoming business partners.
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📢 In their own words
Source: University of Minnesota Duluth/Facebook
A massive part of what makes watching sports in person so special is the people you watch it with. Here are a few quotes from women’s sports bar owners and customers about what makes each space so unique and welcoming. "Rough & Tumble is an awesome restaurant and sports pub, but it’s so much more than that. With its focus on women’s sports, it’s a place where people from all walks of life can come together—whether it’s to catch a game or take part in one of the many events celebrating local teams and athletes." — Kate Lambert, Rough & Tumble regular "One of the coolest things is how safe and comfortable folks feel at A Bar of Their Own—during Game 5 of the WNBA Finals, we cheered together all game until we were hugging over the last-minute loss…Women’s sports is what has brought everyone together, but it is a community in the truest sense of the word—this feeling that together we can do so much." — Jillian Hiscock, A Bar of Their Own owner "By focusing on equality, we’re not just creating space for and building the women’s sports fan base, we’re changing how we all look at and exist as sports fans together." — Jen Barnes, Founder & CEO, Rough & Tumble Pub "From the moment Rough & Tumble opened my friends and I started calling it “headquarters”. I always know it’ll be a safe place to show up as myself and everyone there shares my passion for women's sports." — Rachel Horgan, The Weekly Podcast |
The GIST's Picks |
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🍺 What to sipOne of these 300-plus beers from women-led breweries. Don’t worry, beer happy. 🛒 What to shopMerch from the aforementioned bars, of course. Check out shops for The Sports Bra, Rough & Tumble Pub, A Bar of Their Own, and The 99ers Sports Bar. 🍑 Who to pour one out forPeaches, the beloved Toronto spot for women’s sports that closed in October 2024. Thanks for the memories. 🍹 What to shake or stirA zero-proof cocktail for all of the game day fun and none of the post-game headaches. |
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