Entertainment
During the WNBA season, bars and restaurants say they have seen greater customer demand for women’s sports

CHICAGO (AP) Josh Pehlke remembers just a number of years ago when he needed to beg and beg at bars and restaurants to point out WNBA games. Too often the answer was a categorical no.
Nowadays he doesn’t have to fret a lot.
As general manager of Signature Bar & Restaurant in Chicago’s South Loop, he has something to say about the three-point shot from the home of the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena. But even when he is not at work, he’s noticed a difference.
“I went to Cubs games this season, went to sports bars in Wrigleyville and found the WNBA on TV, whereas two or three years ago that wasn’t happening,” Pehlke said.
The WNBA drew sellout crowds and unprecedented rankings in a breakthrough season that ends with the final match between the New York Liberty, fighting for its first title, and the Minnesota Lynx, which takes a record fifth place. The best-of-three series began Thursday when Minnesota defeated New York in additional time.
Whether it was Caitlin Clark from Indiana or Angel Reese from Chicago, putting on a spirited competition from universities to professionals, Simone Biles wins more gold at the Olympic Games or 92,003 fans packed a football stadium in Nebraska for a volleyball gameoverall, women’s sports are attracting more attention.
Sports bars and restaurants are taking note, adapting their marketing and menus to draw a wider range of shoppers. At least some say they see an increased demand for women’s sports on TV, although the evidence is more anecdotal than statistical. In recent years, several catering facilities have opened specifically for women’s sports, similar to Sports bra in Portland, Oregon.
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Either way, fans have a selection if they wish to grab a bite to eat, drink and watch the game away from home.
“You’ll see small groups of women coming out to watch sports,” said Brian Wright, general manager of Bar Louie. “You see a lot of men now asking to play women’s sports. So this is a kind of paradigm shift in the way women’s sports are perceived. Very rarely did you see a group of men asking, “Can you turn on this WNBA game?” Now it’s really becoming commonplace.”
Bar Louie has restaurants in 21 states from coast to coast and as many as 20 TVs in each location. As for what number of persons are suited to a selected sport, Wright said there isn’t a scientific basis to find out that. But he is certain of a number of things.
The chain attracts an increasing percentage of female customers. And when Clark or Reese played, it was good for business. For example, their NCAA tournament games over the past two years have seen an roughly 10% increase in business.
CEO Joe Hummel said that at Twin Peaks, where most locations have 16 satellites and 75 TVs, the customer base is about 80% men. But the gender gap is narrowing.
“Five years ago, we might not have advertised or promoted Women’s March Madness,” Hummel said.
The company evaluates the schedule day by day to find out what number of TVs might be tuned in for each game. Restaurants can adapt to recent customer news and needs, which is crucial. Hummel said Twin Peaks doesn’t track what number of televisions are tuned to specific events or how many purchasers have requested a seat at a location to observe a selected game.
“It would be very difficult,” he said. “Our operators often communicate with the guest, and if we overwhelmed our operators – having to constantly keep track of this, this and this – they would end up worrying about the statistics and not even dealing with the guests.”
Nicole Bond, associate director of promoting strategy at Mintel Comperemedia, said her company’s research shows 71% of consumers imagine women’s sports will proceed to grow in popularity. She sees this up close in her side job as a bartender at Bernie’s Tap & Grill near Wrigley Field in Chicago.
“Men prefer women’s athletics,” said Bond, a former Northwestern softball player. “And I hear them talking about what is going on on in the W, or what is going on on in the NWSL, or whatever it’s. This became really interesting and became the norm in bar conversations. I feel people want to observe these games and groups, similar to you do if you invite people to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup.
Pehlke became a WNBA fan a few decade ago and began following Sky when Chicago product Candace Parker was added ahead of the 2021 championship season. He grew up as a Los Angeles Lakers fan in northern Wisconsin.
Pehlke, whose friend has season tickets, repeatedly visits Wintrust Arena for Sky games. He even collects WNBA trading cards.
The Signature facility, owned by former Bears defensive lineman Israel Idonije, opened in January. There are 13 TVs on the partitions, 10 of which watch WNBA games on Friday night at the end of the regular season. Six of them showed Sky playing in Minnesota.
Pehlke said during the playoffs, the restaurant saw more requests to tune its TVs to WNBA games. He also expected a revival in business.
“The demand was incredible throughout the playoffs,” he said. “I was very happy to see that it wasn’t just for Fever games, but apparently for all games.”
Entertainment
Travis Hunter seems clearly nervous after his fiancé was booed

What needs to be probably the most proud moments within the lifetime of Travis Hunter took an unexpected turn on the NFL Draft in Green Bay, when fans loudly booed their fiancee Leanna Lenee when the couple entered the red Lambeau Field carpet before starting the choice process on April 24.
The winner of Heismman Trophy, who has arrived, has a brave Hot pink blazer with black pantsHe quickly moved out of emotion of visible suffering after the enemy crowd struck and mocked his lady, who left the tunnel surrounded by Hunter’s mother Ferrante Harris.
A two -way star who said NFL Network that he was carrying hot pink because he didn’t know by which team he would play, he soon met with one other sort of challenge.
Hunter’s mood modified rapidly when he reacted to how the gang treated Lenee, a young woman, whom he plans to marry next month.
“If his mother loves her, she can’t be so bad. Black Mamas doesn’t play their sons” Read one Tiktok clip, offering a positive perspective amongst negativity.
However, the supporting comments were exceeded by critics, and one other social media user writes: “He goes straight to the bank, and he leads it there, we tried to warn him.”
The difficult judgment lasted when another person added: “One day he will see why they boo it.”
The incident drew attention to the impact on Tim Anderson’s social media, who published it on Instagram with signature: “They booed the girl of Travis Hunter a lot, the brother looked like he was able to fight the entire stadium! Fortunately, he was in uniform! Cryinggg – he could drop 400 yards in the subsequent game from easy anger!
Post won additional comments, including one one that said: “I’m furious because he will have to hear her lips later.”
Just before Hunter he heard his name within the project, Lenee gave him an expensive watch to wear. In the film, which has grow to be popular since then, Lenee surprised the football star with something that seems to be a every day roll.
Travis’s fiancée Leanna Lenee surprised him with an exquisite clock and Rolex bracelet before the NFL Draft Tonight ρ
pic.twitter.com/8wmojtbazc
– Daily Loud (@dailyloud) April 24, 2025
The luxurious watch contained a brown diamond shield in pink gold with a corrugated frame, embedded on a pink golden oyster bracelet-a present at barely lower than $ 50,000 in accordance with Rolex website.
This public control of the Hunter’s relationship has followed the couple since she revealed that she had not attracted him at first.
It was not intensified only in December 2024, when the film material appeared, showing Lenee dancing with one other man. The response was so intense that she prompted Hunter to delete his accounts on social media.
His university trainer and sports dad, Deioners, even advised him to acquire a pre -wedding agreement, dividing wisdom from his own divorce experience, being the star of the NFL and his unlucky parting with his mother of his three children, Pilar Sanders. The advice now seems particularly necessary when fans begging him to guard their funds before the couple marry in May.
Despite the non-public controversy, Hunter’s skilled future looks extremely vibrant.
Hunter, perceived each as the very best defender and among the best recipients in the entire project, Hunter is considered one of the most important NFL stars for a few years.
Jacksonville Jaguars made an aggressive move to secure their talents, mentioning their choice of the second round and the primary round next yr at Cleveland Browns to decide on it in second place.
34-year-old General Director Jaguars James Gladstone, the second Gim GM within the history of NFL, signaled his commitment to the development of a competitive team by acquiring a flexible hunter, BBC Reports.
The daring movement reflects the understanding that the celebs may also help construct the dynasty within the NFL, and Hunter’s unique ability to influence the crime and defense is a rare goods within the league.
Hunter will initially concentrate on playing a large receiver, creating what guarantees to be an explosive partnership with Brian Thomas Jr. And giving the playmaker Trevor Lawrence a formidable offensive weapon. When he sets out on this skilled journey, each fans and analysts will observe whether Hunter can move around the sunshine of fame, control of relationships and pressure at the best level of skilled football.
(Tagstotransate) Travis Hunter
Entertainment
Forever our MVP: Jalen Hurts skip the visit of the White House of Trump after the victory of Super Bowl Eagles – Essence

New York, New York – April 24: Jalen Hurts participates in the 2025 Time100 gala at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2025 in New York. (Photo Taylor Hill/Filmmagic)
As if we would have liked another excuse to like Jalen, it hurts (the list is already long, everyone).
The playmaker eagles showed us all the things, why he would at all times be our MVP, when he decided to skip the Monday celebration of the White House with President Trump because of “planning conflicts”. Several other players reportedly missed this event for similar reasons (everyone knew from mid -March).
It hurts didn’t need to convert it to us. The message was crystal clear when he was first asked at the 2025 Time100 gala, with “UMM”, which was heard throughout the world.
This “UMM” spoke to the volume. In a world where black athletes are still said to “close and play”, Hurts expressed attention without giving critics of ammunition.
Let’s add a protracted line of black athletes who used their platforms for political protest. From the refusal of the project by Muhammad Ali, to Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising his fists at the 1968 Olympic Games, to Colin Kapernicka, taking their knee, all these people strengthened their heritage not only athletes, but in supporters of black rights in times that feel too good today.
And then there’s Saquon Barkley.
The contrast between Hurts and his teammate can’t be more clear. While Hurts quietly refused to invitation, Barkley was photographed with Trump at the Golf Club of President Bedminster only a day before the planned visit of the White House. When the fans called him, Barkley began to social media to defend himself.
“LOL, some people are really nervous because I played golf and flew with the president to the White House,” he wrote Barkley on X. “Maybe I just respect the office, not a difficult concept to understand. Just golf with Obama recently … and I can’t wait to end my round with Trump! Now, get my reference to all this policy and you have an amazing day.”
It is value noting that Hurts never avoided joining the political figures he respects. In October last yr He joined the Four Golf with former President Obama and the owner of Eagles Jeffrey Lurie.
Trump participated in a win at the Super Bowl in Philadelphia nad Kansas City in February, becoming the first sitting president who participated in NFL The biggest game.
Irony isn’t lost to us. The same president who He once called NFL players who kneel during the national anthem of “Sons of Suits” And he suggested that they must be released, they appeared to heat up in the glory of the game dominated by black athletes. And now he expects the same players to smile at photos in the rose garden? We saw it earlier.
Still in its modern era, all the things is coming only per week after the messages that hurt, married his longtime girlfriend, Bryonna Burrows, at the starting of this yr.
Developed in 2020, Hurts has repeatedly proved that he’s greater than the playmaker, but the leader who stands on its basis. From overcoming the shocking bench in Alabama, he would grow to be one of the most vital playmakers of the NFL, he showed repeatedly that he knew the way to get to any challenge.
Entertainment
Ice Cube on the Big3, Kendrick Lamar and still loving music – Andcape

Ice Cube has an extended affair with sport. Choose sport. Every sport. What if this sport represents his beloved home Los Angeles, or at the least an ideal state of California? Even higher.
But now Cube-which together along with his breakthrough collective NWA has made a very black invaders of a hot seller hat-it is not only a fan. He owns the league. In 2017, Jeff Kłatinetz, director of Cube and Entertainment, created BIG3, League 3 out of three, during which there are former NBA ballets and international players, and, like Ice Cube, the game plays a brand new algorithm.
Like BIG3, Cube marched to the rhythm of his own drum. And he did quite impressive shots.
In some circles, Cube is more known for his work in Hollywood than from a rap profession, which truthfully helped raise the impressive hip-hop lyricism. He was in acting since 1991, when he appeared as Doughboy in the changing game of the deceased John Singleton, who won the Singleton nomination for an Oscar and meant a novice as an excellent, young voice in creating movies.
Since then, Cube has performed, wrote, produced and directed by the movies and television series, but please, I don’t think that it signifies that he has forgotten about his hip-hop roots.
At the starting of this month he announced that he would return to stage during his first concert on the foremost tour for over a decade to have a good time his 40 years as a music producer. You read it accurately – 4 many years. This fall, he’ll face the foremost arenas for his “Truth to power: 4 many years of attitude“Trip and higher consider that he’ll do all the good things.
And the staff met with Ice Cube to discuss their love for sport, the desire to have a league and why, at the age of 55, he is just not ready to offer up creating music.
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