Texas’ First Women’s Sports Bar Opens in Austin Just in Time for March Madness

It was a historic event when the ATX Women's Sports Pub opened in Austin in 1972. It was Texas's first sports bar exclusively for women's sports. 

People crowded into the venue to enjoy its opening on March 19, which happened to be the first day of the 2025 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. Fans were excited to see Iowa State play Notre Dame. The bar is named after the critical year that Title IX was passed, and its position across from the University of Texas at Austin, a major college sports powerhouse, shows that it wants to improve women's sports. 

The idea came from founders Debra Hallum and Marlene du Plessis, who saw how popular women's sports were becoming and looked at similar businesses in other places for ideas. 

Austin Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes led the event to cut the ribbon and praised the bar as a symbol of the city's progressive spirit and the growing popularity of women's sports. She talked about how it was a locally owned and run business by women, which was a big deal for Austin and Texas. 

There is a small lot behind the building on San Antonio Street for guests to park and street parking on both San Antonio Street and 26th Street. After 6 p.m., public street parking at the Dealey Center for New Media is free. 

As more and more people watch women's sports, 1972: ATX Women's Sports Pub is set to become a central place for fans in Austin, helping to build a strong community around women's athletic success.

‍