LONG BEACH, CA — California’s first-ever women’s sports bar Watch Me! has only been open for less than six months, but has already become a must-visit in Long Beach.
As a young adult, Co-Owner Jackie “Jax” Diener had the idea to create a space for women, a bar they would feel comfortable gathering to watch a game at. When Diener heard about a first-of-its-kind women’s sports bar in Portland, called The Sports Bra, she decided to partner with her wife to open Watch Me!
“I knew that I had this thing inside me that just wouldn’t die,” Diener said. “I needed to create a space where anybody could go watch sports, any sport they wanted, and feel comfortable and safe while doing so.”
Watch Me!, like any new business, has gone through ups and downs, Diener told Patch. But since it’s opening, the same day as the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony, Long Beach and the surrounding community have shown up to support the bar’s mission.
During the Olympics and Paralympics, Watch Me! was standing room only, proving there was void in the sports bar space that Diener was happy to fill. Many professional athletes have even stopped by, including the US National Women’s Water Polo Team, the Los Angeles Sparks and members of the US Nation Women’s Soccer Team.
Diener said she has seen the impact Watch Me has had on its patrons, bringing the community together on game days and during events.
“Women have come up to me with tears in their eyes thanking me for creating this space. These are former athletes that never thought they would see a space like this, and they never had their day,” Diener said.
According to Diener, the future of Watch Me! is all about continuing to stabilize operations and making sure they’re ready for the Olympics in 2028. Long Beach will be hosting eight Olympic events, including water polo and sailing, which will no doubt put a spotlight on local businesses.
To prepare and to further establish themselves in the community, Diener said Watch Me! is looking to hold more events for the community and possibly hosting meet and greets with professional teams and athletes.
“I’m working hard to try to make those types of things happen and then continue to just be the space that everybody knows that they can come to, not just for women’s sports, but just a space that is comfortable,” Diener said.
For the first anniversary, Diener said the community can look forward to “something pretty big and pretty festive.”
The bar is located at 6527 E Pacific Coast Highway. To see operation hours and the bar’s menu, visit Watch Me’s website.
