Seattle pub helps lead women's sports bar revolution
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Women's sports bars are on the rise — and Seattle is helping lead the charge.
Why it matters: With viewership and attendance for women's sports soaring, fans are building new hubs that are about more than simply watching games.
Driving the news: Three years ago, there was only one women's sports bar nationwide — now, there are a dozen, says Kaitlyn Laabs, who is making a documentary about them.
- Six women's sports bars have opened this year, per Laabs' count, with as many as 21 on the way in various stages of funding and construction.
Catch up quick: It all started with The Sports Bra, a Portland bar dedicated to supporting and showing women's sports founded by Jenny Nguyen in April 2022.
- Rough & Tumble Pub in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood followed later that year.
- By the end of 2024, three more women's sports bars had opened across the country.
What they're saying: The bars "galvanize the community," says Laabs, whose upcoming documentary about women's sports bars is called "Untapped."
The vibe: Bar owners mix the fun and camaraderie of team sports with an atmosphere that's welcoming to everyone, including nontraditional sports fans, according to Monica Brady, co-owner of Kansas City's upcoming women's sports bar The Dub.
- Seattle's Rough & Tumble broadcasts women's sports on more than a dozen screens but also shows games from teams like the Seahawks and the Sounders, per Secret Seattle.
- The pub hosts free monthly events and serves as a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth, families and college athletes.
- It also has a covered outdoor patio.