Rikki's to open in San Francisco amid women's sports bar boom
Why it matters: With viewership and attendance for women's sports soaring — including with the debut of the city's first WNBA team — fans are building new hubs that are about more than simply watching games.
Driving the news: Six women's sports bars have opened nationally this year, with as many as 17 on the way in various stages of funding and construction.
At least eight have announced plans to open by the end of this year. Others have indicated 2026 or haven't specified a timeline.
Zoom in: Rikki's, San Francisco's first bar dedicated to playing all women's sports, is expected to open in mid-June in the Castro.
The bar is named after Rikki Streicher, a community leader who owned several lesbian bars in San Francisco for many decades — including the historic Maud's, the city's first, which operated for 23 years and inspired a documentary after it closed in 1989.
Streicher's bars served as cultural beacons that were especially meaningful in a time when lesbians were often unable to openly express their sexuality and women were legally prohibited from bartending.
What they're saying: Rikki's aims to honor the late gay rights activist's legacy by serving as an inclusive space to find community and convene to cheer on women's sports, its co-founder Sara Yergovich told Axios.
"People are so excited — the response has been phenomenal," she said. "It's the perfect time with the Bay FC, the Valkyries and this increased professional-level interest in women's sports in San Francisco. It felt like all the stars were aligning."
Zoom out: Beyond San Francisco, The Sports Bra in Portland opened in April 2022, followed by Rough and Tumble Pub in Seattle and Whiskey Girl Tavern in Chicago later that year.
By the end of 2024, three more had opened: A Bar of Their Own in Minneapolis; Watch Me! Sports Bar in Long Beach, California; and The 99ers Sports Bar in Denver.
What to expect: The fun and camaraderie of team sports with an atmosphere that's welcoming to everyone, including non-traditional sports fans and the LGBTQ+ community.
The bottom line:"They've become centers of social, economic and political power in the communities where they exist," said Kaitlyn Laabs, who is making a documentary about women's sports bars called "Untapped."
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