Latest news with #sportsbars
Globe and Mail
30-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Globe and Mail
The Banff bar where sports fans watch games with mountain views
From playoff fever to summer showdowns, it's the season of coming together. This series dives into the bars across Canada where sports aren't just watched – they're felt, shared and celebrated with full hearts. In these unforgettable spaces, the screens glow, the drinks flow and every seat has a story. For NFL fans, there's no better seat than a prime stadium location for watching game-day action. But those supporters would likely be challenged to find a prettier viewing perch than the setup on the rooftop patio of Banff's Elk & Oarsman for one fall contest between the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks. 'I wanted it to be the coolest place you think you could watch sports – having two 75-inch TVs with mountains in the background at sunset and fires going. It was pretty epic,' says Kricket Taylor, the venue's events manager. While that alfresco viewing party was a special event, the deck, with its panoramic views of the Rockies, is always a draw. Inside, the Elk, as it's known, features 28 large-screen TVs and warm timber-and-stone décor accented with vintage memorabilia. Along with showing all the major North American leagues, the Elk offers Premier League and Champions League soccer, Six Nations Rugby and Australian Football League matches. The menu of games reflects the wide range of nationalities that visit the restaurant, reflecting Banff's status as a destination for global travelers. The staff add to an international flavour. 'Every season we get a new group of people, especially from Australia and the U.K., which is great because we play so much Premier League and rugby, and they love those sports,' says Brady Allen, the Elk's general manager. 'They're excited to be here and see the mountains, so their energy just goes to the guests as well.' The restaurant's system is equipped to play up to eight game feeds simultaneously. Taylor says the staff will search for games on request, and can control the volume in different sections of the space. So people looking for a quieter experience can be seated in the back room, where the volume is usually lower. Craig Paton and two partners opened the establishment in 2005 in a second-floor spaceon Banff Avenue that was formerly a steakhouse. Paton now co-owns the Elk with his sister, Lori, and he's also a partner in the town's St. James's Gate pub. The inspiration to make it a sports bar was to fill a void in Banff that would appeal to locals and tourists alike, says Allen. 'They wanted to cater to international sports, and not just the traditional ones watched in North America.' For customers wanting to participate as well as spectate, the Elk recently added the 180 Club, an interactive darts experience with digital scoring. Kurt Bagnell, a regular since the Elk opened, enjoys the mix of locals and visitors at the U-shaped bar near the restaurant's entrance. 'You often end up sitting with someone from overseas or the U.S., so we turn into ambassadors for our town, telling people about places to check out they may not get in the official brochures. We become part of the ambience of the place,' says Bagnell, now semi-retired and the former manager of presentations at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. He often stops by on Tuesday nights with his two adult children to enjoy the weekly $12 steak-sandwich special and watch a game. Tuesdays are consistently among the Elk's busiest days thanks to the special, with diners often lined up the stairs to the entrance waiting to be seated. In a nod to its name, the restaurant also serves several dishes featuring elk meat. The elk burger is the bestseller. While the Elk has an elevated take on sports-bar staples, the restaurant excels the most at being a meeting place where people can connect over a shared love of sport. Bagnell was there with friends while watching a do-or-die men's world juniors hockey game between Canada and Sweden. His group ended up in some friendly yet competitive banter with six young Swedes. 'Canada did win, and these guys kindly ordered us a round of beer and joined us. I don't know if they learned English from us or we learned Swedish from them but we found a universal language. That's the kind of thing that goes on there.'
Globe and Mail
30-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
This old-Ottawa pub is scoring big with a new generation of fans
From playoff fever to summer showdowns, it's the season of coming together. This series dives into the bars across Canada where sports aren't just watched – they're felt, shared and celebrated with full hearts. In these unforgettable spaces, the screens glow, the drinks flow and every seat has a story. Located along the commercial artery of one of Ottawa's most storied neighbourhoods, known as Hintonburg, the Senate Tavern on Wellington has a certain magic to it. 'It's almost like its own little city itself, a little bit on the edge of Ottawa,' says Austin Gough, the tavern's general manager. The warm wood tones of the Senate's cozy interior make sense in Hintonburg, which is known for its down-to-earth appeal. But the massive 110-inch TV screens ensure sports fans get what they came for. The walls are decked out with sports gear, from jerseys to helmets, including Buffalo Bills paraphernalia. The NFL team is a favourite of one of the owners. Gough says the bar is packed for NFL games and sometimes they even outdraw the hockey-night crowds. 'If it's a Bills game, we're full every time, no matter what.' The Senate Tavern has three locations: Wellington Street West, Bank Street (just a few minutes down the road from the home of the CFL's Ottawa Redblacks) and Clarence Street. At all three locations, staff are encouraged to follow the sports the customers like so they can converse knowledgeably on game day. The area surrounding the Wellington Street West location has evolved. Hintonburg was a working-class residential neighbourhood, which was established in the mid-1800s and formally became part of the city in 1907. Originally built to house lumber and agricultural workers, the neighbourhood has had its share of gritty tales in the more recent decades. 'Hintonburg had kind of a roughness to it in the 1990s,' says Matt Whitehead, vice-president of the Hintonburg Community Association. A mid-2000s facelift meant revamped sidewalks and new storefronts, all while maintaining cost-effective rents that fostered a spirit of entrepreneurship. 'Because the rents were lower, you'd get people who are just starting out and willing to take some risks and do something different in the stores,' says Whitehead. That revitalization helped lay the groundwork for new businesses to thrive, like the Senate Tavern which opened on Wellington Street West in 2021. Over time, Hintonburg transformed into one of Ottawa's most vibrant and eclectic communities. Even though gentrification has raised the rents on Wellington, 'It's a wonderful main street, a great spot for businesses,' Whitehead maintains. 'The nice thing about Hintonburg is the mix of folks, all different walks of life. Everybody's just trying to live their life and enjoy the neighbourhood.' That mix includes longtime locals, young families that have moved in, artists and a healthy dose of die-hard sports fans. The Senate has become a sort of unofficial arena for Hintonburg's fandom during big games. The tavern even offers game-day shuttles to and from Ottawa Senators games. 'The shuttle takes people to the rink and back, and we offer to-go beverages for the ride,' says Gough. 'Most of the time, after a win, the whole bus comes back in for more drinks.' Local pride also runs through the taps. Pints often come from Pistols Brewery in Kanata, which is co-owned by the Senate Tavern's proprietors. For a bite, the tavern's top menu item shifts between its signature club sandwich and handmade burgers. Gough says the Senate has developed a strong local loyalty, part of what makes the neighbourhood special. 'We've got people who've been coming here since day one. It's a pretty tight community around here, so a lot of regulars, a lot of good friends. There's a real connection.'
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Where To Watch New York Liberty Away Games In New York City
Natasha Cloud #9 of the New York Liberty celebrates after making a basket with Kennedy Burke #22 ... More against the Las Vegas Aces at Barclays Center on May 17, 2025 in New York City. Reigning WNBA champions The New York Liberty are back at the Barclays Center for the 2025 basketball season. And while home games draw plenty of fans to fill up the stadium's two-tiers of seats, away games can feel a bit harder to watch with fellow fans, particularly while the city awaits three much-anticipated women's sports bars slated to open this year. While many sports bars have yet to prioritize showing women's sports (especially with sound on TV!), these venues are go-tos for Liberty fans to watch their team win away from home: New York Liberty fans celebrate during the 2024 New York Liberty Ticker Tape Victory Parade on ... More October 24, 2024 in New York City. The beloved Bed-Stuy bar kicked off Liberty season with a special Ellie-themed menu and a food truck, plus spiked slushies, beer bucket specials, a life-size paper mache Ellie, and more. The bar will be showing games all season. This new gastropub and sports bar in Greenpoint is dedicated to showing New York Liberty games on screen. There's fancy bites like a tuna melt croquette and black garlic Caesar, plus cocktails and drink specials named after male athletes. That Bar, a women-owned pub in Park Slope just a few blocks from the Barclays Center attracts fans to watch all New York Liberty games. Visit for a menu of baked (not fried) bites like chicken tenders and burgers. Brooklyn's oldest lesbian bar, Ginger's in Park Slope, is a hot spot to watch daytime New York Liberty games. This Lower East Side hangout known for craft bar, cocktails and small bites is committed to playing New York Liberty games all season. Reservations are available, so curate a group to share the Irish nachos on waffle fries. This sports bar in FiDi champions women's sports and often partners with Wilka's (a women's sports bar slated to open on the Lower East Side this summer) to host watch parties. Visit for New York Liberty games, plus bottomless brunch on weekends.
