Women's sports has seen a massive surge lately and interest is at an all-time high with the women's NCAA Tournament garnering record ratings last year and keeping pace again this year.
That's a huge benefit for a place like A Bar Of Their Own which located off 22nd and Franklin in the south Minneapolis Seward neighborhood. They cater solely to women's athletics and expecting a lot of interest with the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight occurring this weekend according to bar Owner Jillian Hiscock.
"We've had just incredible turnout so far for the first two rounds, and fans are pumped," Hiscock says. "The games have been incredible, so it's been - it's been really, really fun."
Perhaps no recent women's athlete has had an impact like former Iowa star Caitlin Clark, who is about to begin her second season in the WNBA with Indiana. She is drawing viewers for women's games like never before. Is the Caitlin Clark effect still making an impact?
"It'll probably always be called the Caitlin Clark effect, but in reality, there's so many wonderful players that are really making a name for themselves," Hiscock says.
Although the Gophers are not in the NCAA - instead playing in the WBIT - there's is plenty of of home town talent to root for across the country including perhaps the nation's best player, Hopkins own Paige Bueckers who is playing for UConn.
"We have Minnesotans playing on so many different teams in the tournament this year, which is, which is wonderful," she adds.
The bar recently celebrated their one-year anniversary and so far, have been a huge success.
"We got Tessa Johnson fans that come in all the time to watch South Carolina. And yeah, we have Minnesotans playing on so many different teams in the tournament this year, which is, which is wonderful to see," says Hisckock. We'd obviously love to see some of them stay home and play for the Gophers, but also great to see them succeeding in wherever they're playing."
Johnson, who played for St. Michael-Albertville in high school, and her Gamecock teammates will take on Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. local time. Buecker and Connecticut face Oklahoma Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
Also still in the tourney are a couple of other Minnesotans. Ayoka Lee of Byron plays for Kansas State. The Wildcats take on USC Saturday. Alyssa Ustby of Rochester Lourdes plays for the North Carolina Tar Heels who battle their bitter rivals Duke Friday afternoon.