The male-dominated football scene is becoming a thing of the past. At least in Long Beach, more and more women have become football fans and frequent local bars to enjoy the Sunday games.
Take Minnesota’s, a popular choice for hanging out and watching sports with its 18 flat screen televisions. In recent years, more female fans have come into the bar to enjoy the food and drink specials and while watching any NFL game.
“Lots of girls put on their jerseys and come to cheer for their favorite team,” Minnesota’s owner Tom Corning said. “Women are comfortable here during football games. I’m seeing more [females] during the games than ever before.”
On Sundays, Minnesota’s features a brunch menu with a number of options, including more unique and “upscale” choices from mere finger foods, and the drink specials are meant to appeal to women: half off Mimosas, Poinsettias and Sophia champagne that comes in a can and is served with a straw.
Eileen Supple, a devoted football fan and Minnesota’s patron, heads to the bar every Sunday, sits in the same seat and enjoys Mimosas.
“There are definitely more girls around lately during football season,” Supple said. “In the beginning my friend and I were the only women here.”
The Beach House is another popular location to catch the Sunday games. One of the preferred local spots, the bar and restaurant houses 22 TVs and features a DJ during commercials. Both men and women flock to The Beach House to enjoy the Giants, Jets or any of the 32 professional teams.
“Girls love beer and wings specials just as much as guys do,” Beach House manager Allen Levy said. “I feel that females are coming into their own.”
Decked out in their football jerseys, groups of women frequent The Beach House on Sundays, root for their favorite teams and partake in drink specials ($3 Mimosas, Bloody Marys and domestic bottles of beer). While The Beach House features a revamped menu with a wide array of choices, wings and beer are still popular with most customers, including women.
Long Beach resident Silvana Peluso moved to the area just two weeks ago, but she has already found a favorite football spot at The Beach House. Dressed in a Buffalo Bills jersey, Peluso noted that the scene there isn’t a pick-up spot and there aren't as many drunken people roaming around, which you’re more likely to see on Friday or Saturday nights.
“It’s a good crew,” Peluso said.
Victories for the Giants and Jets bring in extra business on Sundays for both Minnesota’s and The Beach House, from men and women. Groups of females come into the bars without men, but are able to enjoy games among crowds with the opposite sex.
“There is less of a divide between men and women now,” Levy said. “During Sunday football there is a sense of camaraderie between men and women.”
