Jenny Nguyen's Portland, Oregon bar, The Sports Bra, which exclusively shows women's sports, has defied initial skepticism and is now a significant success. Launched in April 2022, it generated nearly $1 million in revenue in its first eight months and over $1 million annually since, significantly outperforming the average bar in America. Nguyen initially faced numerous rejections from banks for business loans, ultimately funding the venture through her own savings ($27,000), loans from friends and family, and a highly successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $105,000.
The bar's success aligns with the broader surge in popularity for women's sports. Deloitte projects that women's sports revenue will surpass $1 billion in 2024 for the first time, a 300% increase from three years prior. By 2026, revenues are expected to exceed $3 billion, marking a 340% increase over four years. This growth is evidenced by record viewership for events like the 2025 WNBA season (averaging 1.3 million viewers) and women's college basketball, which saw a 33% year-over-year increase in viewership in February.
The Sports Bra has become a template for a new wave of women's sports bars, inspiring about 25 similar establishments across the U.S. Nguyen has secured investment from Alexis Ohanian's 776 Foundation, co-founder of Reddit and husband of Serena Williams, to franchise The Sports Bra. There are plans to open five new locations in cities like Boston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, St. Louis, and Portland, Maine, with a goal of 40 locations by 2030. Industry experts believe women's sports bars could become a multi-billion dollar industry in the U.S. food service sector over the next five years.
