Audrey Corley, the owner of 2024 Bar of the Year Boycott Bar and Dahlia Tapas, and Kat Moore, who owned Short Leash Hot Dogs, are getting ready to open Phoenix’s only women-focused sports bar.
The idea had been on Corley’s mind for several years. She knew that if she were to open a sports bar, she’d want it to be in the Melrose District, near Boycott. She said the space that housed Short Leash Hot Dogs had crossed her mind on more than one occasion as a great potential spot for her dream bar.
When she found out that Moore and her husband, Brad, were planning to close their restaurant, she sprang into action. She told Moore about her idea, and the two decided to go into business together. From there, everything for Title 9 just fell into place.
Partially inspired by similar concepts around the country, like The Sports Bra in Oregon, Corley said that while women and girls have always been into sports, it hasn’t always been easy to go to a typical sports bar and ask them to tune in to a women’s game on the TVs. One of the biggest challenges, she said, is simply finding where to watch or stream women’s games, since they’re not always promoted on easily accessible cable channels.
Women’s sports are the focus at Title 9, but Title 9 welcomes guests of all genders, ages, races and walks of life, Moore said. And the bar TVs will broadcast NBA, MLB and NFL games, in addition to women’s sports.
“We don’t need everybody to get behind it. We just need the right percentage — and it doesn’t have to be that big of a percentage, honestly — to be successful,” Corley said.
Providing havens for women and queer people in Phoenix is extremely important to Corley. Boycott is currently one of the only lesbian bars in the country, and she said she wants Title 9 to be an extension of the safe space that Boycott provides.
“It’s kind of nice that her (business) partner isn’t gay, too, because then it shows that there are allies out there,” Moore said, pointing to herself. “It’s important to me as well for (the LGBTQ+ community) to be safe and feel that there’s no weirdness, and everyone feels welcome, especially because of everything that’s happening right now in the country.”
“We hope you’ll be able to come in here and always hear women’s sports on the TV with the sound on. And you’ll come in here and you’ll feel the energy of people excited to be here,” Corley said.
Every detail of the space was designed with intentionality, from the color scheme reflective of the lesbian flag to framed photos of female athletes hung around the restaurant next to QR codes that, when scanned, take guests to web pages explaining who each of the athletes is and what impact they have had on women’s sports.
“I wanted to be unique to other sports bars,” Moore said. “I don’t want it to look like a little boy’s bedroom.”
Title 9 will also regularly host events in the hopes of bringing the community together around sports, starting with an arm-wrestling tournament hosted by Arizona Roller Derby and other events like educational speakers and the 10th annual Pinewood Classic derby car race.
Title 9 isn’t just a sports bar, it’s a sports grill, Moore said. The food menu consists of upscale bar foods like chicken or cauliflower wings and unique smashburger sliders like a Thai peanut slider, Sloppy Janet and a chocolate cherry slider made with beef brisket, cocoa espresso, whipped brie, cherry compote and arugula.
And Moore and Corley’s focus on uplifting women extends beyond the sports games on the TVs. They’re also making drinks using women-owned spirits and beer, such as drafts from Greenwood Brewing.
The cocktails are named after famous women athletes, such as the Taurasi Goat-Tail made with spiced rum, guava, pineapple, lemon, coconut and soda.
Two drinks are named after the owners. The Kickin’ Kat Collins — named after Moore, who both plays and avidly watches women’s soccer — is made with gin, lemon, pear, pepper puree and ginger bitters. The Coach A — named after Corley, who used to be a basketball coach — consists of Don Julio 1942, lemon, lime, agave and gran mariner.
Title 9 Sports Grill posts a schedule of all the games being shown on their website. The bar and kitchen are open daily.
A grand opening celebration will be held on March 15 and 16.
Hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Details: 4221 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-290-9910, titleninesportsgrill.com.
Reach the reporter at endia.fontanez@gannett.com. Follow @EndiaFontanez on Instagram.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
