Owners Miranda Spencer (left) and Annie Weaver (right) pose for a portrait behind the logo at The 99ers Sports Bar, a new bar soon to open in Denver on April 16, 2024. take a picture. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
In 1999, the U.S. women’s soccer team won the World Cup, becoming the first team in the women’s league to win on its home soil and captivating sports fans around the world. This championship title was a pivotal moment for women’s sports, inspiring a generation of young girls, including Miranda Spencer and Annie Weaver.
“I remember the 1999 World Cup and the Fab Five and the rest of that group, the ’99ers,” said Weaver, who was 5 at the time. “This was the first time it was broadcast live, and people saw women being very successful in professional sports. Watching them win, watching Brandi Chastain take off her shirt. That was insane, because as a little kid I was like, “Oh, I can do that!” That’s very powerful. ”
Spencer and Weaver are honored with the opening of The Nineteeners Sports Bar, named in honor of the World Cup team that included Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Joy Fawcett, Christine Lilly and Chastain. , hopes to bring that kind of energy to Denver.
Once open, The 99ers will join a growing scene nationally of bars dedicated to women’s sports. The 870-square-foot site at 909 Colfax Ave. will feature eight televisions showing documentaries focused on sports and greats, including basketball, soccer and hockey. It is expected to open in June.
Neither Spencer nor Weaver had ever run a bar, and they met just a year ago. Although both were new to Denver, they shared a desire to focus on an underserved niche in the market and create something for sporty types like themselves.
As a child, Spencer played football as a quarterback. When he couldn’t go up to tackle, he played ice hockey, basketball, and softball. Weaver grew up playing soccer, and the two met on Spencer’s flag football team in Denver. They had only known each other for a month before they decided to become business partners.
“When we first met, what connected us so deeply was the lack of opportunities we had growing up,” Weaver said. “We wanted to create more opportunities for girls and women in some way.”
“I never thought sports would be a career opportunity for me. We are humbled and happy by the fact that we are working together in this way,” Spencer added.
Mr Spencer entered the hospitality industry from a career in engineering, while Mr Weaver, a former mathematics teacher, is relocating from corporate America. When Mr. Weaver visited Sports His Bra in Portland, he was looking for an opportunity to do something more fulfilling. This sports bra became a hot topic as the first sports bra for women in Japan.
Weaver immediately felt a calling and thought the Mile High City would be a good place to launch a similar concept.
“I think Denver is a progressive, liberal city and big enough that it can support this concept and something of this scale. There’s also a lack of female representation in sports right now in Denver. ” Weaver said.
While the Nineteeners is a passion project for both owners, they also see it as a way to capitalize on a resurgence of national interest in women’s sports that they feel is long overdue. Spencer says there is a long-held belief that the women’s game is less fun and exciting than the men’s, but support is growing, thanks in part to former athletes who have shined a spotlight on the intensity of the sport. said.
Rising stars like Caitlin Clark of the University of Iowa are also attracting attention. Case in point: The recent NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship saw an average of 18.7 million viewers watch the University of South Carolina Gamecocks take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the finals, setting a record number of viewers, according to NPR. I established it. In comparison, the number of viewers for the men’s final was 14.82 million.
Enthusiasm also led to the expansion of the National Women’s Soccer League and the Women’s National Basketball Association. Both companies plan to add new teams over the next few years, increasing the total to 16 teams in the NWSL and 14 teams in the WNBA by 2026. The 99ers’ owners hope to use their platform to facilitate expansion into the Mile High City.
“Denver hasn’t really taken advantage of it yet, but I think it’s getting ready to explode,” Weaver said. “We want to be a part of that.”
Spencer and Weaver also want to provide a place where fans can support their favorite team and be part of the movement. In addition to screening the game, they hope to start a fantasy league and host special events to welcome women into the fold. (empowHer is also the name of the women’s flag football league they started in Denver.)
The 99ers are currently undergoing construction work in preparation for the summer season, and coincidentally 25 years have passed since their memorable Women’s World Cup victory. The bar offers beer, wine, ready-to-drink cocktails, and prepackaged snacks. Spencer and Weaver have collected memorabilia from locals to decorate the space, allowing guests to browse the items like a mini-museum.
Although both women identify as queer, The 99ers is not a particularly gay bar. They want everyone to feel welcome, regardless of gender.
“We have a particular focus on women’s sports, but everyone needs to be involved and involved,” Spencer said.
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