Sports bars in U.S. cities and towns have been around virtually since the invention of electronic media. Black people listened and cheered whenever Joe Lewis fought on radio. With the advent of television, it wasn’t unusual for folks to gather in front of a small set and watch a particular sport or event.
According to the “Merriam-Webster Dictionary,” the term “sports bar” became a regular staple of the sports lexicon in 1975: “a bar catering especially to sports fans and typically containing several televisions and often sports memorabilia.”
Tom’s Watch Bar, located on the corner of Sixth and Hennepin in downtown Minneapolis, isn’t just a typical sports bar but a 7,000-square-foot space, “an unparalleled destination for fans seeking an immense, 360-degree indoor viewing experience,” as described in a press release.
Opened in 2023, last year Tom’s was an official gathering place for the Big 10 WBB tournament. Once again this year it will be that place for both the conference WBB and MBB tournaments in March.
The Minnesota Timberwolves in January announced a new marketing partnership with Tom’s Watch Bar and held a watch party for one of the team’s road games last month. The Wolves is one of five in the NBA, four NHL teams, and a variety of NCAA teams that provide exclusive watch parties.
Minneapolis is one of 12 Tom’s Watch Bars nationwide. Each location has hundreds of television screens and offers a menu that, according to its co-founder Tom Ryan, isn’t the average bar food but high-level food offerings along with a vast selection of specialty cocktails and expansive craft beer lists.
We talked to a group of Black folk at the Wolves watch party. A couple told us that Tom’s is a relaxed place, unlike other local sports bars that are usually mainly attended by whites. The food and drinks were good as well, they added.
The MSR sports staff was invited to the Wolves watch party, and Ryan sat with us while we ate. He boasted that his place is “the ultimate place to watch sports events…that transcend typical sports bar experiences,” said Ryan. “Our new team partnership [with the Timberwolves] will bring fans together for watch parties like never before.”
Ryan also shared his life journey: a Michigan State University food service graduate who worked for several years at General Mills in Minneapolis where he designed packaging before branching out on his own and founding the Smashburger chain. He and his partners sold Smashburger in 2018 and focused on his new idea, a unique sports bar.
Ryan first started Tom’s Urban in Denver, then started a prototype of his watch bar in that same city. He later opened locations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
He’s a huge sports fan, admitted Ryan, which explains his having hundreds of television screens to watch games that include college and professional leagues, international events, prize fights, and obscure athletic events. He also stressed the importance of his place for those who cannot afford to go to games in person but can come to downtown Minneapolis and watch games and eat and drink and enjoy the sports experience.
“Clearly,” said Ryan, “Tom’s Watch Bar puts downtown Minneapolis back on the map for sports fans for premium viewing.”
“That said,” Ryan added, “it provides those fans a place to have a great time pregame, postgame, away games, and when they don’t have tickets. It’s an added value extension of the overall fan experience.”
The pandemic slowed down expansion, but now according to Ryan, “We anticipate four to six more Tom’s Watch Bars in 2024, with double-digit unit growth into 2025 and beyond.”
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