Cleveland, This Is For You: The First Women’s Sports Bar in The Land

Courtesy of The W Sports Bar

It’s about time Cleveland had a space for women’s sports and women sports fans, and The W Sports Bar made that happen!

The W Sports Bar was founded by three passionate women’s sports fans: Ally Eclarin and Cassy Kopp from State Champs in Kent, and Brewnuts owner Shelley Pippin. As listed on their website, the mission of The W Sports Bar is to celebrate women’s sports by “champion[ing] and elevat[ing] the visibility of women’s sports by offering a dedicated space for fans”; have an inclusive community by “foster[ing] a welcoming and empowering environment for all sports fans, regardless of gender identity, by creating a space that celebrates diversity and the power of our shared passion for sports”; and “amplify[ing] diverse voices within sports and share our collective passion, celebrating the stories, achievements, and impact of athletes, fans, and supporters.”

Blending passion for Cleveland and love for women’s sports, The W Sports Bar creates a place for those who are often in the minority or overlooked in sports spaces to call their own. The W celebrates diversity, inclusion, and uplifting one another, and is a safe space for people to get together, whether they’re sports fans, taking part in events at the bar, or just want to be in a welcoming environment. The vibe of the bar captures that of a museum, with women’s and Cleveland sports memorabilia, and designs and decor that you can take pictures of, and feels warm and inviting. The W’s colors pay homage to the Cleveland Rockers, and they even have a space with Rockers memorabilia for manifesting a WNBA team in Cleveland again.

Everyone is welcome at The W. Eclarin said, “It’s for anybody who is looking for a space to call their own. You don’t need to know rules or stats. That’s not what we’re about. Anyone from kids to adults, anyone who is respectful, all are welcome.”

“We are inclusive, not exclusive,” Kopp emphasized.

The W’s focus on inclusivity extends from being a welcoming environment for all to the games they play on their TVs. It’s a place for anyone who loves the game. If a Cleveland team is playing, it’ll definitely get a TV alongside all of the women’s games. It’s a space to see any and all sports that fans like, as well as a space to watch and get into new sports. There aren’t really any places that will show a blend of men’s and women’s sports, and The W is changing that. As Eclarin said, you should be able to see athletes like A’ja Wilson and Tyrese Haliburton playing on screens side by side and you should be able to talk about them in the same breath.

Courtesy of The W Sports Bar

Some people have asked, “why Cleveland?”, but for a city with a great amount of lively sports bars, there isn’t a space for people to gather and watch women’s sports.

“You can take for granted walking into a bar and knowing an NBA game is on. Having a space like The W is so crucial because there is a market not being addressed, there’s not a space that serves this. Ohio is a sports state, so many women grow up with men’s sports, then grow up and still love sports, but want to find their team,” Eclarin said.

While Cleveland doesn’t have a major professional women’s sports team (at least at the time of writing this article, not yet), its melting pot of passionate sports fans makes it the perfect spot on the map for people to come together and get introduced to women’s sports and build a community surrounding them.

“Cleveland is a sports town. People love their sports bars, but they’re missing the women’s sports component. So many people are going into bars and are made fun of or turned down or don’t feel safe asking for games to be turned on. It’s awesome seeing so many people coming out and having a place to go. People now more than ever need a community, and if we can do that in Cleveland, that’s even better,” Eclarin said.

The W Sports Bar celebrates all things Cleveland, and has Cleveland’s teams backing them. They’ve received donations from the Monsters and Charge, support from the Cavaliers through EmpowHer, support from the Lake County Captains, they have the biggest fans in the Guardians, and they are really close with Cleveland Pro Soccer and will be brewing partnerships with them as Cleveland makes way for MLS Next Pro and WPSL Pro teams.

Things are moving in the right direction for Cleveland, a city with die-hard, passionate sports fans who always show up and show out for their teams and events in the city. More major women’s games and tournaments have been coming to Cleveland too: the city was home to the 2024 Women’s Final Four, and since 2021 has hosted Tennis in the Land, the final women’s event of the US Open Series. Cleveland has the market for people to attend events, it has the facilities and the dedicated fans, so hopefully professional women’s sports teams are on the horizon for Cleveland!

When we watch, root for, and make space for women’s sports, it’s a W for everyone!