12. Women’s Sports Bars

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• The lack of visibility for women's sports in traditional venues, exemplified by Jenny Wynne's experience watching the 2018 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship without sound, motivated the creation of 'The Sports Bra,' America's first sports bar dedicated solely to women's sports.  Copied to clipboard!
• Despite persistent narratives suggesting low interest, empirical evidence, including record viewership for the Women's NCAA Final and high demand for 'The Sports Bra,' demonstrates a strong, underserved market for women's sports.  Copied to clipboard!
• Jenny Wynne's 'The Sports Bra' achieved immediate financial success, earning over $1 million in revenue in its first year and becoming profitable from day one, challenging the perceived financial risk associated with a women's sports-focused business model.  Copied to clipboard!

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Origin of Women’s Sports Bar

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(00:01:19)

• Key Takeaway: Jenny Wynne’s frustration watching the 2018 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship in a bar without sound inspired the idea for a dedicated women’s sports venue.
• Summary: The catalyst for the concept occurred in April 2018 when Jenny Wynne and friends could not find the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship on any TV at a local sports bar. After the dramatic conclusion, Wynne realized the only way to guarantee a proper viewing experience was to create their own venue. This led to the mission of establishing a sports bar that exclusively plays women’s sports.

Wynne’s Background and Obsession

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(00:03:31)

• Key Takeaway: Wynne leveraged her background as an executive chef, where she thrived on team dynamics and execution under pressure, to pursue her entrepreneurial vision.
• Summary: From a young age, Jenny Wynne was obsessed with basketball, though her parents, who fled Vietnam, encouraged a more traditional path. She later developed an obsession with cooking, taking her father’s advice to try the worst job in the field first, which turned out to be a fry cook position. She found the kitchen environment mirrored the adrenaline, timing, and teamwork of sports, leading her to a successful 15-year career as an executive chef before pivoting to the bar concept.

Prevalence of Men’s Sports Coverage

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(00:05:27)

• Key Takeaway: Data tracked over 30 years shows women’s sports coverage remains stagnant at around 5% across local affiliates and major sports networks like ESPN.
• Summary: Professor Cheryl Cookie, who studies gender and sports, notes that the fan experience involves a universal struggle to find women’s games on TV or in bars. In 1989, women’s sports coverage was about 5%, and by 2019, it had only marginally increased to 5.1% on local affiliates and 5.7% on ESPN Sports Center. This lack of easy access forces fans of women’s sports to actively invest time and dig deep to find content, unlike men’s sports which are constantly visible.

Launching The Sports Bra Concept

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(00:07:15)

• Key Takeaway: The initial funding for ‘The Sports Bra’ was secured through personal savings and a highly successful Kickstarter campaign that raised over $105,000 in 30 days.
• Summary: The idea for the bar, initially nicknamed ’the sports bra,’ solidified in 2018, and Wynne attempted to secure loans in 2020 during the pandemic. Banks rejected her application due to inexperience, the pandemic timing, and the unprecedented nature of the concept. She ultimately used $27,000 of her life savings and raised over $105,000 via Kickstarter, proving significant public demand for the idea.

Opening Day and Venue Details

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(00:11:21)

• Key Takeaway: The Sports Bra opened on April 1st, 2022, coinciding with the NCAA Women’s Final Four, and immediately attracted massive media attention and hundreds of patrons.
• Summary: The bar opened in Northeast Portland on the first day of the NCAA Women’s Final Four, experiencing an ‘absolute media frenzy’ upon opening. The intimate space features five TVs and 40 seats, with 21 beers on tap sourced exclusively from breweries at least partially owned by women. Professor Cookie highlights that the venue provides an unapologetic space explicitly centered on women’s sports, countering the narrative that demand is insufficient.

Financial Performance and Customer Base

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(00:16:05)

• Key Takeaway: In its first year, The Sports Bra generated over $1 million in revenue, triple the average bar’s earnings, and has been profitable since day one, paying off loans years ahead of schedule.
• Summary: The bar’s success is attributed to its dedicated audience, including men who prefer the fundamental, team-oriented play often seen in women’s sports over the drama in men’s leagues. The high revenue in the first year significantly surpassed the average bar’s earnings, allowing Wynne to pay off loans in one year instead of the projected five. Wynne believes the model is scalable and is receiving inquiries about franchising the concept.

Mission and Generational Impact

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(00:17:12)

• Key Takeaway: A core mission of The Sports Bra is increasing visibility and representation for girls by allowing all ages to watch games before 10 p.m., offering young fans a sense of belonging.
• Summary: The mission centers on increasing visibility, representation, and the culture of fandom for girls’ and women’s sports. By allowing customers of all ages to watch games before 10 p.m., Wynne reflects on the positive impact such a space could have had on her own childhood. Changing the channel, she concludes, can change everything by allowing young fans to see themselves represented and cheered for.