Women’s sports fans have a new dedicated space to cheer on their favorite teams. Watch Me! Sports Bar, the first of its kind in California, opened on Friday in Long Beach, joining a national trend of women’s sports bars, LAist reports.

Following the Footsteps of Portland’s ‘The Sports Bra’

The bar, the vision of Jax Diener, follows in the footsteps of Portland’s The Sports Bra, which opened in 2022 and inspired similar establishments in Seattle and Minneapolis.

“This has been a dream 30 years in the making,” Diener said during the opening ceremony. “We’ve created this inclusive space for the community. You all will shape it.”

Diener and her wife, Emme Eddy, identified the location two months ago, transforming a former Mexican restaurant into the bar. The opening was timed for the Olympics, after months of preparation with vendors, funders, realtors, and staff.

The event was marked by celebration, speeches, and recognition of ongoing issues in women’s sports, including pay gaps and media rights. Saskia Webber, from the 1999 U.S. women’s national soccer team, and Penny Toler, the WNBA’s first scorer, were among the attendees.

Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson attended with his daughters, emphasizing the bar’s significance to the city, especially with upcoming Olympic events in 2028.

Congratulations to Watch Me! Sports Bar, the first women’s sports bar in California and one of only a few in the world! We just celebrated their grand opening and couldn’t be more excited to welcome this amazing new business to our community.

It’s the first of its kind in CA,… pic.twitter.com/7VyWUKxxOk

— Office of Mayor Rex Richardson (@LongBeachMayor) July 27, 2024

“There was no way I was going to miss the opening of the first women’s sports bar in California,” Richardson said.

Fans from across Southern California gathered, celebrating the new venue. Nicki Freeman, an early supporter, highlighted the bar’s importance.

“This is amazing,” Freeman said. “It feels like community coming together that has been longing for something like this.”

Watch Me! Sports Bar is now open, offering a dedicated space for fans to enjoy women’s soccer, the WNBA, and more.

Read more at LAist.