For a city that prides itself on being some of the most passionate sports fans in the country, Philadelphia is lacking in one area of athletics—women’s sports.
But, there are some efforts to change that: Philadelphia is one of 13 candidate cities vying for the WNBA’s 16th team (which is expected to be awarded in 2027 or 2028), plus, organizations like the United Soccer League and Women’s Professional Baseball League are looking to expand in 2026, with the City of Sisterly Love at the forefront for possible additions.
There are more localized efforts coming into play as well, with fresh ideas on the sports viewing experience.
Just ask Jen Leary.
“Those of us who are very passionate about women’s sports want to cheer for our own, and Philly wants to cheer for their own. [Our idea] is to give everybody a gathering place to at least cheer together,” Leary states.
The idea in question is for Philadelphia’s first-ever women’s sports bar, which is set to open in the summer of 2026. The goal is to create a place for locals and visitors alike to cheer, enjoy, relax and learn more about the world of sports when it relates to women, and the sports figures who have paved the way for it all.
From firefighter to founder
Leary, a Philadelphia firefighter, is no stranger to the start-up world. The entrepreneur created the Red Paw Emergency Relief Team, a local nonprofit that worked to rescue pets trapped in their homes after fires and other disasters. After years in service, the organization disbanded in 2020 after COVID gripped the world, and since then, Leary has been eager to get involved in another area where she recognized a need for change.
“There are a million great organizations in the world and in this city alone. My soapbox is, if you’re going to start an organization, start an organization or do something that doesn’t exist yet in your city. I started thinking about the WNBA and how much it meant to me during COVID. It really gave me something to look forward to every day when we were trapped in our houses and couldn’t go out or see our friends,” explains Leary.
“I wanted to bring that back again. And when I tried looking for places to watch not just WNBA games specifically, but any type of women’s sports games, there just was no place in the city that was doing it.”
Building a community for fans
That need turned into Watch Party PHL, which was founded by Leary plus Lori Albright, Fawn McGee and Megan DiTolla. The group hosts watch parties around the city at popular bars, with the goal of bringing the same type of fanfare you would see for say, an Eagles game, to the world of women’s sports. The group recently celebrated its one-year anniversary this past April, but now, the efforts of Watch Party are also going towards creating a more permanent location for its mission.
“The first women’s sports bar in the country was The Sports Bra in Portland. They opened three years ago. Very shortly after that, A Bar of Their Own opened in, I want to say Minnesota. Those were the two pioneers.,” Leary explains. “Then slowly but surely, other bars have been opening up pretty rapidly across the country. There are close to 30 bars that are either opening, or in the process of opening right now. So, we’re right on the cusp of a women’s sports bar explosion.”
Philly is next up on that list, with Leary eyeing the accessible Midtown Village/Bella Vista area to set up shop. Where the permanent home will be relies largely on how quickly they get the funding, find the “perfect space” and get permits and licensing. Once open, the bar (which has not released its official name yet) will offer coffee and treats in the morning, before switching to higher-end bar food and libations for the afternoon and evening.
The space will also have women’s sports embedded into its design, with some call outs to prominent and local figures in that industry— starting from 1867 with The Dolly Vardens (one of the first women’s sports teams in the country that started in Philly), going all the way up to today, with Kahleah Copper and Natasha Cloud.
“My vision is a very open, bright space with floor-to-ceiling windows where you come in in the morning to get your coffee and the most recent up-to-date sports news. Then we transition to a bar in the afternoon, and then all regular women’s sports games at night,” Leary continues. “I really want it to be a community atmosphere. I want it to be easy, and I want it to be fun, plus safe and comfortable for everyone. We want everyone to come and feel comfortable watching women’s sports there.”
USA teams won’t be the only ones on the forefront—games from Europe and around the world will also be shown, hence, the morning, noon and night hours.
Funding the vision
Currently, a Kickstarter campaign is underway to raise $40,000 by 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 8. At the time of publication, the fundraiser currently stands at around $30,000. Those who are among the first to donate to this slice of history might also receive themed merch, or have their name engraved forever in the space on its planned graffiti wall. And in the meantime, locals can head to Watch Party PHL events (like a women’s rugby watch party this weekend) to help get a preview on what to expect come next year.
As Leary notes, hopefully this will all just be the start.
“The elephant in the room is that we don’t have a women’s sports team here yet. What we try to do is whenever there’s a game happening that we’re doing a watch party for, we try to find a local player that we can all rally around,” finishes Leary.
“We really want this upcoming space to feel like it’s [for] everyone who loves Philly and women’s sports. It’s our place. It’s just like when you go to an Eagles game…you’re bonded by that experience. So we want this place to be that. And then eventually, we’ll get a team and we can root for our team together.”
For the most up to date information on the organization, visit @watchpartyphl on Instagram. To donate to the Kickstarter, visit kickstarter.com/projects/jointhemovement/join-the-movement
