Kristen and Anthony Carli are trying to bring a second Valley women’s sports bar to life, this time in Old Town Scottsdale, with a concept they are calling Her Court. The couple has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $50,000 as proof of concept while they hunt for a lease and work toward a targeted 2027 opening. Their vision is a fan-forward hangout with bar and table seating, a private events room, a “Team Store,” and an athlete wall that spotlights women players.
According to Phoenix New Times, the one-month Kickstarter is designed to show lenders that there is real demand for Her Court while also kickstarting the buildout budget. The campaign page and the venue site, Her Court, outline plans to give top billing to professional women’s basketball, hockey, volleyball, soccer, and golf, with room on the schedule for major draws like the Super Bowl when those nights roll around.
Local Appetite And A Growing National Wave
The March 2025 debut of Title 9 Sports Grill in Phoenix’s Melrose District signaled that a women-first sports viewing spot can work locally, according to reporting from the AP. Zoom out a bit, and TOGETHXR’s “X Marks The Spot” map counts roughly 27 women’s sports bars already open nationwide with at least 16 more on the way, suggesting the concept is moving from novelty to established niche. That growth lines up with the surge in interest and television coverage for women’s leagues highlighted by outlets such as ESPN.
What Will Be On The Screens At Her Court
“There’s really a demand to be able to watch women’s sports everywhere,” Kristen Carli told Phoenix New Times, and the couple plans to lean into that. Staff will schedule screens around professional, college, and international women’s competitions, with some family-friendly watch windows in the mix alongside ticketed events and private parties. The Team Store and athlete wall are meant to deepen the fan connection and give shoppers a place to grab locally focused merch that celebrates women athletes.
Crowdfunding, Timeline And What Comes Next
The Kickstarter will run for a month, and the Carlis say the results will serve as the proof of concept lenders want before they commit to financing a buildout. For now, they have not locked in a lease. They are focused on Old Town Scottsdale for its blend of locals, tourists, and established nightlife, and say they want Her Court to feel like a home base for anyone who wants to watch women’s sports. If the crowdfunding push and lending come together, Her Court would slide in alongside Title 9 and a growing lineup of women-focused watch bars in the Valley and around the country.
