The Sports Bra eyes national expansion amid financial challenges

June 15, 2026

The Sports Bra, a Portland-based sports bar that exclusively broadcasts women’s sports, is pursuing national franchise expansion while facing serious financial distress. In May 2026, the company announced it is “seeking everyday investors to take it to the next level: a national franchise expansion,” but securities filings reveal it is “bleeding red ink and relying on a crowd-funded investment campaign to survive”.

Unaudited financial statements show The Sports Bra generated only $1 million in sales in 2025—an 18% decline from 2024—amid widening operating losses. Accountants warned the company was “at risk of insolvency unless it received a fresh cash infusion or found a way to make its concept consistently profitable” by the end of last year. Despite these challenges, the company plans to open a second, larger Portland location and expand nationwide, projecting that franchise fees, merchandise sales, private events, and royalties will generate “tens of millions in annual revenue in its next four years”.

Through its “Own a Piece of The Bra” crowdfunding campaign, The Sports Bra has raised more than $885,000 of a $1.24 million goal from nearly 1,100 investors, with investments starting at just $250. The company, backed by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and other high-profile investors, targets 40 locations by 2031 and projects annual revenue could exceed $75 million by 2030. Five new locations are already in development in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Boston, and Maine. SBJ