Phoenix Mercury fans pack women-owned restaurants during finals

Valley businesses seeing bump from Phoenix Mercury finals

As the Phoenix Mercury tip off Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Oct. 8, women-owned restaurants across the Valley are hosting watch parties to cheer on the team. FOX 10's Steve Nielsen reports.

PHOENIX - The Phoenix Mercury hope to earn a win tomorrow in the WNBA Finals.

After losing the first two on the road, they head back home to try to even the series. The growing fan base of this team has many Valley businesses bursting at the seams.

Local perspective:

While the team has been in Las Vegas for the finals, some local bars have been completely packed to cheer on the Mercury.

Faith Brenneman stopped making drinks for just a moment to take it all in as the Phoenix Mercury earned their spot in the finals.

"It’s been very chaotic in a good way," said Brenneman, who works at Title 9. "You know, we have so much support and so many fans coming in."

This bar was built for moments like this—a sports bar that focuses on the female athlete.

"Women’s sports weren’t popular for the longest time," Brenneman said. "The fact that we have support in the business and like the sports women’s sports world, too, is been amazing."

During the first two games of the finals in Las Vegas, crowds were even bigger, forcing staff to rearrange the furniture.

"We brought in multiple tables, many chairs, so we can try to fit as many people as we can in here without being too much. So we want to make sure we can get as many people in there, not have to turn people away. That’s the last thing we want," Brenneman said.

Dig deeper:

But it’s not just here— down at Roosevelt Row, woman-owned Greenwood Brewing has become a Mercury watch party hot spot.

"We’re doing watch parties for every single game," said Greenwood Brewing’s Megan Greenwood. "So we have a projector screen out in our garden and some extra TVs that we’re putting up. We’re giving away merchandise from the Phoenix Mercury all game—basketball jerseys, swag, all the fun things."

Greenwood collaborated with the Mercury on their "Herstory Brew." It was perfect timing for a team making an improbable run at a title chance.

"We sell it at the stadium and we sell it here at Greenwood," Greenwood said. "We still have sold out. All Greenwood is sold out right now. We’re getting more in just to support our fans that are looking for this collaboration."

And when the game tips off Oct. 8, no matter where you watch, you won’t be alone.

"It’s been nice to have a place where we can all get together and have fun—something that we all love—and it’s just been great experience," Brenneman said.

What's next:

The first home game of the finals is Oct. 8. Businesses said they still expect large crowds as the Mercury have created an entire community of supporters.