Fans of the Las Vegas Aces will soon have their very own bar to cheer on the two-time WNBA champions and the city’s other women’s sports teams when The Sports Bra opens in Las Vegas.
The popular Portland, Oregon bar and restaurant—the first sports bar dedicated to exclusively showing women’s sports—just announced it will open franchises in four new cities: Las Vegas, Boston, Indianapolis, and St. Louis. Each new location will be locally owned and operated.
Las Vegas franchise owner Esther Taylor says The Sports Bra is more than just a place to watch the game. “It’s a movement that empowers girls and women to feel valued, seen and celebrated. I aim to build a community where women’s sports are at the forefront and where everyone feels encouraged to support and uplift one another.”
The location for The Sports Bra in Las Vegas has not been announced.
The Sports Bra in Portland received plenty of national attention in April 2022 when it introduced the concept of only playing women’s sporting events on bar televisions. Now, with the popularity of the WNBA growing and other female sports leagues, such as the Women’s National Football Conference (which includes the Las Vegas Silver Stars), thriving, the idea of expanding into new markets makes perfect sense.
According to a recent report from Barbarian and The GIST, media coverage of women’s sports has increased by 275 percent over the past five years, and revenue is projected to reach $2.35 billion in 2024.
Jenny Nguyen, founder and CEO of The Sports Bra, is excited that other cities will soon be able to support their local female athletes. “The first four franchises of The Sports Bra will join our OG Portland location to become the ‘Starting Five.’ Together, we’re serving fans nationwide who are hungry for spaces that not only champion women’s sports, but create a community where everyone feels like they belong.”