Current:Home > ContactIndexbit-This women's sports bar is a game changer in sports entertainment -OceanicInvest
Indexbit-This women's sports bar is a game changer in sports entertainment
TrendPulse Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-09 03:28:18
Run like a girl. Throw like a girl. Kick like a girl. Keep doing anything like a girl because The IndexbitSports Bra in Portland, Oregon, is there to support you.
In 2018, Jenny Nguyen and her friends were searching for a sports bar that was screening the NCAA Women’s Championship game. Finding a spot should have been a no-brainer, but media coverage of women’s sports is often patchy. As of last year, women's sports had only a 15 percent share of sports coverage across the media, according to sports marketing company, Wasserman.
Despite their best efforts, Nguyen and her group couldn’t find the game on anywhere. Eventually, they persuaded a bar to show it on a TV in a corner with the volume turned down to zero. It was a disappointing way to watch an epic, nail-biting championship game.
That experience got Nguyen thinking. She couldn’t remember the last time she'd felt truly welcomed in any sports bar or restaurant.
“I am a woman. I'm Asian. I'm a queer person. There are a lot of intersections of my existence. So my lived experiences gives me a lot of insight into what places have lacked," said Nguyen. "What was I missing, or how did I feel like I didn't belong when I went to this bar?”
For all the little girls who might potentially feel unwelcome or underrepresented in the future, Nguyen made it her personal mission to create a sporting venue where they could feel at home.
Taking her vast knowledge of food as a chef for over 15 years and combining it with her sports knowledge as a former athlete, Jenny came up with a game plan. Using her life savings, help from friends and family, and a Kickstarter campaign, The Sports Bra was born.
“If I didn't do it, then I would have to live with the idea that I had let that 7-year-old version of myself down because I was too afraid. And that basically made up the decision for me. And from that moment forward, I never looked back.”
Business boomed right away. Word spread that this dietary-inclusive restaurant and bar for marginalized groups was the place to be.
With ingredients sourced from women-owned businesses, the menu includes many sports bar favorites, as well as some of Jenny’s family recipes, such as Mom’s Baby Back Ribs and Aunt Tina’s Vietna-Wings. Staying true to The Sports Bra’s mission, there is something satisfying and yummy for everyone, including customers with dietary restrictions.
Like any business starting out, it wasn’t all slam dunks and home runs. Jenny had to lobby networks for coverage of women's games. She had sleepless nights making ends meet, and had to double her staff almost immediately due to the bar's popularity. Yet, the countless stories of people expressing how much this unique venue inspired them kept her going.
“I just thought about the 7-year-old and how even if one little kid comes into The [Sports] Bra and sees a future for themself in sports because of being there, it's worth it,” explained Jenny. “It's the best job ever.”
The Sports Bra has been groundbreaking. And, as a champion of women's sports, Nguyen hopes there'll be a ripple effect that will help make the sports entertainment industry more inclusive by inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.
Watch this woman use her life savings to open a bar just for women's sports.
Humankind is your go-to spot for good news!Click here to submit your uplifting, cute, or inspiring video moments for us to feature. Also, click here to subscribe to our newsletter bringing our top stories of the week straight to your inbox.
veryGood! (53)
Related
- Stamford Road collision sends motorcyclist flying; driver arrested
- Taylor Swift Goes TikTok Official With Travis Kelce After 2024 Super Bowl Party
- King Charles seen going to church for first time since cancer diagnosis
- Kentucky lawmakers advance proposed property tax freeze for older homeowners
- Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
- Trump endorses North Carolina GOP chair and Lara Trump to lead RNC
- Why Caleb Williams should prepare for the Cam Newton treatment ahead of NFL draft
- Why Kate Winslet Says Aftermath of Titanic Was “Horrible”
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Why Asian lawmakers are defending DEI and urging corporate America to keep its commitments
Ranking
- New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
- Kentucky lawmakers advance proposed property tax freeze for older homeowners
- Love Is Blind Status Check: Find Out Where All the Couples Stand Before Season 6 Premiere
- How Hollywood art directors are working to keep their sets out of the landfill
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Yes, a lot of people watched the Super Bowl, but the monoculture is still a myth
- Idaho residents on alert after 2 mountain lions spotted at least 17 times this year
- IHOP giving away free pancakes for its National Pancake Day deal: Here's what to know
Recommendation
Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
Two fired utility execs and a former top Ohio regulator plead not guilty in bribery scheme
Mardi Gras 2024: Watch livestream of Fat Tuesday celebrations in New Orleans, Louisiana
Katy Perry is leaving 'American Idol' amid 'very exciting year'
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
Man imprisoned for running unlicensed bitcoin business owes victims $3.5 million, judge rules
Biden leans into Dark Brandon meme after Chiefs' Super Bowl win
Pain, sweat and sandworms: In ‘Dune 2’ Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and the cast rise to the challenge