More W’s in women’s sports

2024 is quite the year for women's sports. Athletes like Caitlin Clark and Ilona Maher are taking center stage and making history in women’s athletics.

            History isn’t stopping there, though. Three business partners of Cleveland, Ohio, are opening the very first women’s sports bar ever.

Ally Eclarin and Cassy Kopp, co-owners of The W, previously owned State Champs coffee shop in Downtown Kent. They sold the shop over the summer to focus their efforts on the new bar, which they're calling The W Sports Bar. Fellow owner, Shelley Pippin, owns Brewnuts, bringing beer, donuts, and women’s sports together under one roof.

Cassy Kopp, Shelley Pippin, and Ally Eclarin, from left, gather for a photo as the owners of the first women’s sports bar, The W in Cleveland, OH, on Nov. 19, 2024.

The W Sports Bar, which will be opening in early 2025, is "dedicated to supporting and celebrating the athletes and fans who've longed for a place to call their own,” said the bars website.

Eclarin, who originally hails from California's Bay Area “grew up with mens sports. If [she] wanted to watch sports or just liked the idea of an active hobby, the media attention went to men.”

Eclarin said young girls often stop playing sports in middle and high school due to breaking societal standards set for women or lack of representation.

“Ilona Maher is a great representation for girls to keep playing sports. Women’s sports are important for young women and girls because we have someone that looks like us. Representation matters,” said Eclarin.

Nearing the end of 2024, representation in women’s sports is stronger than ever. This summer, the Olympics had an equal number of men and women competing for the first time in history, according to CBS News.

The United States team Allyson Felix, Athing Mu, Dalilah Muhammad, and Sydney Mclaughlin, from left, celebrate winning the gold medal in the final of the women’s 4 x 400-meter relay at the 2020 Summer olympics Saturday, Aug. 7 2021 in Tokyo, Japan

A loyal patron of State Champs and Brewnuts, Kathy Harrison said she plans to support The W in any way she can. “I never thought I’d see the day that women would achieve the same level of respect in athletics as men,” said Harrison.

An analogy Eclarin likes to use in regards to the upcoming popularity of women’s sports is that “we’ve always been listening to this music, they’re just now putting it on the radio.”

Obviously, representation plays a huge factor in the development of The W. However, the financial landscape of women’s sports is evolving immensely, said sports and business marketer Bryan Shell.

“There is money in women’s sports. The revenue growth has been unprecedented whether it be with ticket sales or sponsorship growth. Sponsorship revenue for women’s sports reached 1.1 billion dollars this year.”

With ticket sales and sponsorship revenue growing, the infrastructure investment grows too. “The NWSL has doubled in size which lets the athletes gain access to better and bigger training facilities,” said Shell.

Shell emphasized that the money is talking in women’s athletics right now, but that’s not the only thing. He said there has been a 50% increase in viewership for the WNBA, noting star like Caitlin Clark and Breanna Stewart who have helped with this increase.

This increased viewership spans across social media, too. “Platforms like Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and ESPN+, have opportunities to build fan bases for women’s sports,” said Melko. By engaging fans through digital content, women’s sports are cultivating loyalty and increasing their audience base.

This increased visibility among female athletes has brought attention to their stories, lifestyles, and achievements, making them marketable beyond their sports. Athletes are seen as influencers and are securing endorsement deals with major brands, further increasing their visibility.

Not only is Cleveland getting the very first women’s sports bar, but they also have some bids in for women’s sports teams that could further ignite the passion for women’s sports in Cleveland.

Cleveland Pro soccer is presenting a bid to bring a team of The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) to Cleveland and the Cleveland Cavaliers ownership group announced they are bidding to bring a Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team to the Cleveland area as well.

“In our business plan, we would love to make The W the official bar of these teams, have official watch parties, and each team can have an extension of their brand within the walls of our bar,” said Eclarin.

Other than having a place to celebrate the achievements of athletes competing in women’s sports, Eclarin emphasized the desire to avoid making The W feel like a sports bar.

“We don’t want this to feel like a sports bar. We want this to be a safe space, and we’ve made it intentional with our location, our aesthetic, and our vibe that these athletes will be able to have a spot where they feel safe. Our main goal with The W is to accomplish a safe and inclusive environment.”

Cassy Kopp, Shelley Pippin, and Ally Eclarin, from left, gather for a photo as the owners of the first women’s sports bar, The W in Cleveland, OH, on Nov. 19, 2024.

“I’ve donated to the shop and plan on helping in any way I can. The atmosphere here is incredible and makes me feel safe, secure, and like I can be myself” Harrison said.

Eclarin said  the bar will open sooner than expected, within the first part of 2025.

Fans of the NWSL watch the championship game at Brewnuts in Cleveland, OH on Sunday, Nov. 24 2024.