The Sports Bra founder Jenny Nguyen with Renee Montgomery’s jersey. | Photo courtesy of The Sports Bra.
The Sports Bra, a women’s-sports-centric sports bar concept, has a powerful new investor.
Former WNBA player and now team owner and commentator Renee Montgomery has joined the growing chain as an investor and as a strategic creative advisor.
Montgomery, who is a co-owner and vice president of the Atlanta Dream. She was the first former player to become a team owner in 2021, and she won two WNBA championships with the Minnesota Lynx (2015 and 2017), later finishing her career with the Dream.
Renee Montgomery. | Photo courtesy of The Sports Bra.
She joins The Sports Bra at a time of growth.
The Portland, Oregon-based concept was founded in 2022 by Jenny Nguyen as a family-friendly sports bar that focused exclusively on women’s sports.
In 2024, the concept won a significant investment from 776 Foundation, a venture firm founded by Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of Reddit who is also married to tennis champion Serena Williams.
The move allowed The Sports Bra to launch franchising last year, and now locations are coming to Boston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas and St. Louis.
Montgomery noted that the sports bar’s growth comes at a time of huge momentum for women’s sports, with the recent emergence of a professional women’s hockey league, the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL), League One Volleyball (LOVB), and the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL), all of which will draw in more fans and sponsors.
“The momentum is here,” Montgomery said in a statement. “Brand sponsorships are up, and business leaders are investing in everything that touches women’s sports. The most significant opportunity for The Sports Bra is to find innovative ways to meet the demands from the women’s sports community.”
Nguyen, meanwhile, in a statement said Montgomery’s involvement will be a game-changing upgrade to the sports bar’s roster.
“Between her perspective as a champion player, her strategy as a WNBA owner, and her voice as a commentator for Unrivaled, Renee has a 360-degree view of this industry that is virtually unmatched. Her belief in our mission is a powerful signal that what we’re building at The Sports Bra is on track to continue growing.”
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Lisa Jennings is a veteran restaurant industry reporter and editor who covers the fast-casual sector, independent restaurants and emerging chain concepts.