The bar made history as the first women’s sports bar that only televises women’s sports. Now, it’s expanding to Boston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas and St. Louis.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Sports Bra announced Tuesday morning that it will be expanding its franchise to four new U.S. cities: Boston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas and St. Louis.
The now-iconic Portland bar made history when it opened in 2022 as the first women’s sports bar that only televises women’s sports. Last April, Jenny Nguyen, founder and CEO of The Sports Bra, announced plans to bring the bar’s concept across the country in what’s been a growing demand for women’s sports.
Investment from Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, has helped fund the expansion in partnership with Ohanian’s 776 Foundation.
The Sports Bra said these four cities are all “primed for game-changing” addition to their sports scenes, with each hosting professional women’s sports teams, like WNBA’s Indiana Fever with Caitlin Clark, as well as the Las Vegas Aces; Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) Boston Fleet; and the upcoming NWSL’s Boston Legacy FC, which is set to begin play in 2026, to name a few.
“The first four franchises of The Sports Bra will join our OG Portland location to become the ‘Starting Five,'” Nguyen said. “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. There is no better moment than this to open these places.”
Each new location will be locally owned and operated, giving fans the chance to support both their hometown teams and the small businesses in their communities. There will be some Portland Sports Bra staples on the menu at every location, such as The Mom’s Baby Back Ribs, Aunt Tina’s Vietna-Glaze Wings and Tempeh Reuben, as well as signature cocktails like The GOAT, Title IX, Cherry Picker and Pickle Ball.
“We know from experience that traditional sports bar fare isn’t for everyone. That’s why we offer thoughtfully prepared dishes for every dietary need, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free menu options,” added Nguyen.
Just as the original Portland Sports Bra highlights women-owned breweries, distilleries, farms and artisan food businesses, each new Sports Bra will do the same with local producers in its own region.
The Sports Bra did not give a timeline on which locations plan to open but said that they are working with the new franchise owners as they find “the perfect spaces for their own Bras, adding, “Each franchise owner has to find a location, sign a lease, manage the build out, etc. We hope they will open in 2026.”
