New Women’s Sports Bar Could Become a Reality in Philadelphia Next Year

Watch out, Philadelphia. Watch Party PHL could open a women's sports bar in the community next year.

The group is known for hosting women's sports watch parties, where participants move from bar to bar. In doing so, they unite women's sports fans throughout the city.

"When I was going out to watch women's sports in Philly, I found there were no bars showing women's sports, and if they had women's sports on, there was no volume," said Watch Party PHL founder Jennifer Leary in an interview with CBS News Philadelphia. 

Leary said the idea began in 2024 during the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship game. She told CBS News Philadelphia that her goal is to open Philadelphia's first women's sports bar in the summer of 2026. Leary is actively raising funds to bring the concept to fruition.

She noted that the idea has been gaining popularity across the United States. More than 20 bars are now operating in various states.

Leary and her partner, Megan DiTolla, said they want to show the WNBA and the NWSL that Philly is a women's sports town. They also want to inspire young girls to achieve their sports dreams.

Watch Party PHL will host a watch party at Lucy's on Sunday, April 13, for the Women's NCAA Championship. Afterward, the group will hit Stir Lounge for a first-anniversary celebration.