With three seconds left on the clock, the score knotted up at 58 — the fifth tie of the fourth quarter — Notre Dame had the ball and a chance to win its first women’s basketball title. The inbound went to Arike Ogunbowale, who muscled through the defense, dribbled twice as she moved down the sideline, and hoisted and sunk a three-pointer to seal the game against Mississippi State on April 1, 2018.
Tucked in a corner of a sports bar in Portland, Oregon, Jenny Nguyen and her friends erupted in joy and slapped high-fives, all the more poignant as the other patrons looked on in confusion. The dramatic finale of the NCAA women’s basketball championship game unfolded on one muted television, as the bar catered predominantly to men’s sports, reflecting how difficult it often is to find venues highlighting women’s games.
This experience sparked what would become a significant movement. "I was frustrated with the situation, and I blurted out, ‘The only way we’re ever going to experience women’s sports in the way it should be is if we had our own place,’” Nguyen recalled. A few years later, she opened The Sports Bra, reportedly the world’s first bar dedicated to airing women’s sports.
Launching The Sports Bra wasn’t easy. Skeptics questioned the viability of her venture, claiming, “nobody watches women’s sports.” Securing funding during the Covid-19 pandemic proved to be another hurdle as Nguyen, unemployed and untested as an entrepreneur, had to dig deep before turning to crowd-funding on Kickstarter. On Valentine’s Day 2022, The Sports Bra reached its fundraising goal of $48,700 within just eight days, eventually raising more than $105,000. Remarkably, eight months after its debut, The Sports Bra surpassed $1 million in sales.
Nguyen’s bar has not only created a niche for itself but has also inspired others to create similar venues dedicated to women’s sports. The bar is even set for national expansion, sparked by investment from Alexis Ohanian, Reddit co-founder and husband of tennis star Serena Williams. "Sports bars have been around for 40-plus years, and it feels like they haven’t changed much. And they were really built for 50% of the population or less," Nguyen emphasized.
Nguyen’s passion for basketball extends back to her childhood, growing up as an avid fan of the Portland Trail Blazers. For her, the game was always more than just sport; it was about community and friendship. Many of her fondest memories were created at various sports bars, yet they were often marred by the struggles of finding women’s games on screen. Securing airtime for women’s sports was challenging and could hardly compete with the visibility men’s sports received.
After launching The Sports Bra, Nguyen discovered her experiences were not isolated. Many patrons shared similar stories of feeling unwelcome or even harassed at traditional sports bars when they sought to watch women’s games. Surprisingly, men who frequented her bar would comment on their newly realized perspective; they noted how many sports bars catered solely to men’s sports.
This emergence of The Sports Bra coincides with what many are identifying as the golden age of women's sports. Viewership records are being shattered, attendance is on the rise, and new professional leagues are taking root, particularly notable with the forthcoming debut of the WNBA team set for Portland in 2026. The fervor surrounding women’s sports gains additional momentum as broadcast options expand, allowing fans to engage more easily with their favorite teams and athletes.
Cheryl Cooky, a leading professor at Purdue University with over three decades of experience analyzing sports media, reflects the shifting trend. “The legacy media can no longer dismiss the interest in women’s sports, because the interest is so much more visible now than it has been in the past,” she shared. Data from her extensive research indicates women’s sports have suffered from inferior TV representation; as of 2019, merely 5.1% of TV sports news airtime was devoted to women’s sports and has fluctuated since. Yet these numbers have started to change, spurred on by the recent headlines featuring star athletes like Simone Biles and Coco Gauff.
Reflecting on this momentous shift, Jillian Hiscock, who opened A Bar of Their Own earlier this year, emphasizes the necessity of improving access to coverage. The bar subscribes to around 15 different streaming services, undertaking conversations with providers to secure rights for key matchups. “We have to make it easier for people to be a women’s sports fan,” she expressed. The increase of women’s athletic events airing on major networks has led to higher engagement from viewers, showcased by ESPN’s coverage of the UConn vs. Notre Dame women’s basketball game, which achieved season-high ratings.
These trends signify undeniable progress as more traditional sports bars begin to cater to women’s games. Hiscock notes, “We simply don’t have the supply for all the demand in our space.” Nguyen, as the trailblazer behind this movement, played an instrumental role, fueling growth and sparking interests nationwide. "There’s been overwhelmingly positive interest from potential franchisees with plans for expansion," Nguyen explained.
Looking to the future, Nguyen reflected, “Clearly, I didn’t dream big enough,” admitting her hopes had been more modest than what is now possible. Her aspirations of seeing The Sports Bra operate across several major cities, be it alongside Nike collaborations or with local sports teams, now seems more attainable than ever. This renaissance for women’s sports appears to be just the beginning, setting the stage for even greater adventures on the horizon.
