A women's sports bar could be coming to Philadelphia next year thanks to Watch Party PHL
A group called Watch Party PHL is making its love of women's sports known in Philadelphia.
They host women's sports watch parties and hop from bar to bar, bringing together a community of 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.
Leary wanted to change that playbook and was inspired by other women's sports watch parties across the country.
She says here in the city, it all started a year ago for the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship Game.
"It's such an inclusive and welcoming community, and it's something that I think a lot of us have been looking for, and women's sports has brought us all together," she said.
Her goal is to open the city's first women's sports bar. She says the idea has been a slam dunk across the country, with more than 20 bars opening up in different states.
"This would be the first women's sports bar, and Philly is the city of firsts, so it's only natural we have that first experience here," said Megan DiTolla, Watch Party PHL events manager and Watch bar partner.
They say they want to show WNBA and NWSL that Philly is a women's sports town, too, and will support any women's professional team the city brings on.
They also hope to inspire young girls.
"They can fill the stadiums, and they can bring the fans, and they can be in the Nike ads," DiTolla said.
The group will be hosting a watch party at Lucy's on Sunday for the Women's NCAA Championship game. Afterward, they will head to Stir Lounge for their one-year anniversary party.
They say the excitement is taking off in the city.
"It feels again surreal to be a part of something so new and exciting and we have such community momentum that our folks are so excited about it," DiTolla said.
They hope to open the bar in summer 2026. Right now, they are raising money and have an online fundraiser.
