'Thrilling': Portland's Sports Bra founder receives state business award
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Jenny Nguyen -- founder of Portland's first women's sports bar, The Sports Bra -- is set to receive the highest honor from an Oregon business organization.
The Oregon Business & Industry organization, a statewide business advocacy group, named Nguyen as its final Oregon Visionary Award Nominee for 2024.
The Oregon Visionary Award recognizes people, employers, and organizations that strengthen Oregon’s economy and develop solutions to significant problems.
“At a time when Oregon’s reputation has struggled and its economic competitiveness has waned, this year’s Visionary Award winners have demonstrated how well the state, driven by its private sector, still works,” OBI said.
"It’s such an honor to be recognized by OBI, and I’m in great company with other Visionary Award recipients from the past and present," Nguyen told KOIN 6 News. "Opening The Sports Bra had a bigger impact than I ever could have anticipated, and it is thrilling to be at the forefront of this movement that is elevating women’s sports, celebrating these incredible athletes and inspiring a new generation of girls. As we get ready to open our franchise applications, I am so proud of my hometown for showing up to support The Sports Bra in Portland. To be honored by Oregon’s chamber of commerce is especially meaningful, because no matter where the next location of The Sports Bra opens, Oregon will always be where it all began."
After a Kickstarter campaign raised twice its goal in 30 days, The Sports Bra opened in March 2022 and has seen "wild success," according to OBI.
The business organization highlighted Nguyen's innovative approach of only showing women's sports on the bar's TVs -- explaining Nguyen came up with the concept while watching an NCAA women’s basketball tournament game on a tiny TV at a local bar without sound.
“Statistically, 96% of all sports media on TV is men’s sports,” Nguyen previously told KOIN 6 News. “So that means 4% of everything shown is women’s sports and yet 40% of athletes are women. We’re out there playing, we’re just not getting shown. So, the goal of The Sports Bra is to promote that 4%, pump it up.”
OBI noted The Sports Bra also supports women in the food and beverage industry by sourcing their ingredients from women-owned businesses.
Two years after opening, The Sports Bra announced plans to expand and take the first step towards franchising the bar with help from Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit and husband of Serena Williams.
The bar has also joined efforts to create a WNBA team in Portland by starting a petition in March 2023, which received support from Oregon Senator Ron Wyden.
Nguyen, and her fellow 2024 honorees will be recognized at OBI’s annual Visual Oregon Event at the Portland Art Museum on Oct. 23.