USWNT Icons and Portland’s Rich Women’s Sports History Helped the City Earn a Unique Sporting Experience

“The only competition is the status quo,” says Jenny Nguyen—a chef by profession, sometimes a public speaker, but a full-time, firm advocate for women’s sports and the LGBTQIA+ community. Many of you might have come across this quote before, but for someone like Jenny, it’s much more than just words; for her, it’s a powerful weapon—an everyday reminder of how she defied the odds to become a proud CEO and founder of The Sports Bra, a first-of-its-kind sports bar in Portland, Oregon.

And what if we told you that it’s not just the rich history of this city, but the iconic players who’ve graced the annals of the US Women’s National Team, that are responsible for the entrepreneurial journey Nguyen is now on? Well, consider it a fact, because that’s exactly what she believes played a role in opening her first bar in the whole United States, which only lets you tune into women’s sports on their TV.

“I had grown up here in Portland and I had witnessed from a very young age people showing up for women’s sports,” began Jenny during an exclusive tete-a-tete on the RE—INC podcast with co-hosts and power couple, Christen Press and Tobin Heath, which was taking place at the very dedicated sports bar.

Born and raised in the City of Roses, Nguyen shared that her dad was a huge soccer fan, and she often accompanied him to catch all the games taking place in the city. “We watched Tiffeny Milbrett and Shannon McMillan. Then he took me to [the match where] Megan Rapinoe, Rachael Rapinoe—the Rapino Sisters—and Christine Sinclair were playing. The stands were absolutely packed,” recalled the chef-turned-business owner.

Jenny also recalled how thousands of Portland residents used to turn out to support the city’s American Basketball League (ABL) team, the Portland Power. However, the league, which had eleven teams, lasted only from 1996 to 1998. However, despite the ABL’s short lifespan, the support for the WNBA’s Portland Fire remained strong.

The same unwavering support was later shown to the Portland Thorns of the National Women’s Soccer League, with the city’s people continuing to rally behind the team. “Basically, the fandom defined women’s or even soccer fandom internationally with our fan club. It was just insane,” acknowledged Jenny Nguyen.

Of course, witnessing such fandom for women’s sports in her city, especially such a long time ago, was already a clear sign that her hometown needed a unique sporting experience for all the fans. Even today, as the support continues to grow, Jenny took the necessary steps to open her sports bar, dedicated exclusively to women’s sports. But of course, there’s more to the story of how it all began for her.

Jenny Nguyen’s inspiration goes beyond just the USWNT and Portland’s rich soccer history

The idea had initially popped into her mind back in 2018, but The Sports Bra was officially launched in 2022. More than the USWNT and Portland’s deep-rooted soccer history, it was Jenny’s lifelong love for basketball that truly fueled her motivation. Growing up, it was the sport she played and followed most. Aside from catching soccer matches with her dad, there came a day when she met up with her friends for a casual get-together after a basketball game. All 14 of them headed to a sports bar.

However, once they arrived, Jenny and her friends were met with a disappointing reality. Despite the bar being filled with TVs, not a single one was showing the game they had come to watch. When they asked the staff to change the channel, the request was met politely. Yet, the group was ushered to a corner of the restaurant. That’s not all, they were given a smallest screen in the place to tune into their match.

Still, they gathered around and watched — only to witness one of the most unforgettable games. It featured a jaw-dropping comeback from a 23-point deficit and ended with a last-second three-pointer by Arike Ogunbowale. It is a moment that would stay with Jenny long after the final buzzer. “Watching that game [the NCAA women’s basketball championship] at a sports bar is what planted the seed for this space that we’re here today,” proudly admitted Jenny.

She also mentioned in the interview with USWNT veterans Christen Press and Tobin Heath that the bar is close to celebrating its three-year anniversary. Following the launch of the Sports Bra, she was able to earn her first $1 million within eight months, as compiled by CNBC Make it.

So it’s no surprise that growth would be the only constant for Jenny Nguyen and her successful business plan The Sports Bra.