The Rise of Women’s Sports Bars: Where Fandom Meets Community

Women’s sports are having a moment—and fans finally have the perfect places to gather and celebrate. By the end of 2025, the number of U.S. bars dedicated exclusively to showing women’s athletics is expected to quadruple, growing from just six at the start of the year to nearly two dozen nationwide. From Phoenix to New York, Kansas City to San Francisco, these vibrant new spaces are popping up in cities big and small, reshaping how fans connect over the game.

This boom comes on the heels of a massive surge in women’s sports viewership. Remember when 92,000 fans packed Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium to watch a volleyball match? Or when 18.9 million people tuned into the South Carolina vs. Iowa NCAA women’s basketball championship, making it the most-watched basketball game—men’s or women’s—since 2019?

The momentum doesn’t stop there: the WNBA just wrapped up its most-watched season in decades, the NWSL signed a $240 million broadcast deal, the Professional Women’s Hockey League drew over 40 million views in its first year, and Katie Taylor’s rematch with Amanda Serrano became the most-watched women’s sporting event in U.S. history. Clearly, fans are hungry for more—and women’s sports bars are stepping up to feed that appetite.

Photo Credit: Dorothy Wang

Leading the way is The Sports Bra in Portland, founded in 2022 by Jenny Nguyen. Its success has inspired a wave of entrepreneurs who want to create spaces where women’s sports are the main event, not an afterthought hidden on one corner TV.

But these aren’t your typical dark, beer-soaked hangouts. Owners are intentionally designing inclusive, welcoming atmospheres—think bright spaces with plants, mocktails alongside craft cocktails, local brews, trivia nights, “sip and paint” sessions, and even live music. They’re carving out spaces where fans of all kinds can cheer, connect, and feel at home.

It hasn’t been easy. Many founders tapped into retirement savings or crowdfunded to open their doors. But their dedication speaks volumes: this isn’t just a business, it’s a movement. As women’s sports continue to break records and capture the spotlight, these bars are doing more than serving drinks. They’re building communities, rewriting sports culture, and giving fans the dedicated spaces they’ve been waiting for.

So next time you’re looking for a spot to watch March Madness, a WNBA game, or the next must-see women’s sporting event, skip the old-school sports bar. Find your local women’s sports bar, grab a seat, and join a growing fandom that’s rewriting the rules of the game.