First ever women’s sports bar in Australia closes after five months
A women’s sports bar opened with much fanfare and enthusiasm but just a few months later, it’s had no choice but to call last drinks.
The first women’s sports bar to open in Australia has closed down just a few months after launching with much fanfare.
The Ladies League opened at a prime spot in Sydney’s bustling Oxford Street in August but unfortunately announced its closure soon afterwards, on New Year’s Day.
The venue posted on social media on Wednesday night that it was “with a heavy heart” they would not be opening their doors again.
“As a women’s sports bar we excelled,” The Ladies League wrote, adding that they had great turnouts at Matildas, Sydney FC and grand final games.
“Unfortunately it is outside of live games that we felt the struggle as much as many other hospitality venues in this economic climate.
“We knew we had a fantastic product on offer but unfortunately as a small business, we couldn’t hold on any longer to try any new approaches.”
The Ladies League was founded and run by 34-year-old Rose Valente, who also runs a digital only sports publication with the same name.
Ms Valente told media she drained her savings and even sold her investment property to fund the bar.
She scored a prime spot in the heart of Darlinghurst, at a two-storey, 80-seat venue which she decorated with a black and pink colour scheme.
Banks weren’t keen on extending her a loan — Ms Valente has previously said they found the venture “too risky” — but she managed to fundraise from her loyal base of readers and others keen on the novel concept.
Hundreds of fans spent money on foundation memberships to get their names written on one of the upstairs walls, and at the same time other fans sponsored particular areas of the bar — tables, benches, and even toilet cubicles.
Matildas and Melbourne Victory midfielder Alex Chidiac contacted Ms Valente to offer support and ended up sponsoring a bench.
Meanwhile, an Instagram follower donated a signed Australian women’s cricket shirt.
The plan was to show live women’s sport matches and in the quiet periods, display replays of women’s games. Men were also welcome at the pub and Ms Valente said she was open to showing a men’s game if that was what her patrons wanted.
The venue boasted six TVs and one big screen with a bar section downstairs and a viewing lounge upstairs for the rowdier customers.
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Ms Valente’s The Ladies League was partly inspired by Australia’s deficit in women’s sport viewing and coverage, which accounts for only 12-15 per cent of screen time, according to the latest research.
The bar was also partly buoyed by similar success stories coming from the US.
The Sports Bra opened in Portland, Oregon, and made $1 million in revenue in its first year of operation, also sparking other similar venues to pop up around the country.
Australians were excited at the prospect of the bar, with social media abuzz and many vowing to travel from neighbouring states to check it out.
Others predicted that it would give way and become a full-blown LGBTQ bar given its location on the Oxford Street strip.
It hasn’t quite worked out like that, though.
The Ladies League wants others to carry on the mantle and doesn’t want its experience to put others off.
“We hope this doesn’t discourage anyone from opening a similar concept in the future, the support we felt from the community was amazing,” the bar wrote.
“Thank you each and everyone who has visited us or showed support online.”
News.com.au has contacted The Ladies League for additional comment. It’s unclear how many staff are impacted.
Many small businesses have had to shut up shop as a result of labour shortages, staff costs, and navigating consumers’ lack of discretionary spending.
A May report from credit reporting bureau CreditorWatch found smaller hospitality businesses were bearing the brunt of the economic crisis in Australia and warned one in 13 could fail.
At the time of the report, CreditorWatch’s chief executive Patrick Coghlan told news.com.au that conditions were likely to get “worse for businesses before they got better.”
“Hospitality is a high risk industry even in boom times unfortunately. It’s hard for hospitality businesses to pass on price rises compared to those in most other sectors. Consumers can easily ‘trade down’ to a cheaper venue or just eat at home,” he said.
alex.turner-cohen@news.com.au
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