‘There’s so much potential here’: Watch Party PHL, Philadelphia Sisters honored for growing women’s sports

In a dark gray shirt with the words “Philly is a Women’s Sports Town” written across the front in dark red lettering, Jen Leary stood in front of a room full of City Council members and prepared to speak.

“When I kicked off Watch Party PHL in March 2024, the goal was twofold,” Leary said. “It was to bring a community of women’s sports fans in Philadelphia together by providing a space that was committed to showing the games with the sound on. Secondly, it was to show the WNBA, the NWSL, and anybody that would listen that Philly is a women’s sports town.”

Leary, the founder of Watch Party PHL, was honored alongside other members of Watch Party PHL and the Philadelphia Sisters during Thursday’s City Council meeting for both organizations’ work growing women’s sports and creating inclusive, women-centered spaces in the city.

Councilmember Kendra Brooks recognized their efforts, wearing her own purple “Philly is a Women’s Sports Town” T-shirt.

“Women have always been athletes, but throughout history our athleticism has been cast in the shadows of men’s sports. Not anymore,” Brooks said. “Today, we are honoring and celebrating the women who came together to bring the excitement and energy of women’s sports into the spotlight.”

Watch Party PHL and the Philadelphia Sisters have helped change the landscape of women’s sports in Philly. Dating back to 2019, the Philadelphia Sisters — led by actor and comedian Wanda Sykes; her wife, Alex Sykes, who has experience in sports and business; and lawyer Ashley Lunkenheimer — made it their mission to bring a WNBA expansion team to Philadelphia.

Although Wanda isn’t a Philly native, she lives in Media and shares the same passion of Philly fans

“I really adopted this city,” Wanda said. “You can just feel the strength and the fight and the love. … Some of my best friends are from Philadelphia, and I will say they got your back. Ride or die. … And that’s how I feel about Philadelphia. I’m here. I got your back.”

After years of working behind the scenes with Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, a WNBA team is finally set to make its way to Philadelphia in 2030. The team will be owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which also owns the 76ers.

Following the success, the Philadelphia Sisters’ mission has expanded.

“We worked so hard to get there,” Alex said. “So we were like, ‘Why stop at the WNBA? Why don’t we bring more women to Philadelphia professional sports?’ And that’s what we have been doing now. We’re working on other projects with more women’s professional sports coming. So more leagues, more championships, you name it.”

» READ MORE: Aubrey Plaza watched a WNBA game wearing a shirt that repped Philly. Now, it’s close to selling out.

Thanks to their efforts, Unrivaled will also be making its way to Philadelphia. Unrivaled, which is entering its second season, is a three-on-three league offering WNBA players a chance to compete stateside during the offseason. Xfinity Mobile Arena will be the first tour stop in 2026, with two games set to be played there on Jan. 30

But Philadelphia Sisters aren’t the only organization working behind the scenes to bring more women’s sports to the city. Watch Party PHL was created with a goal of bringing together a community of women’s sports fans in a safe place, from monthly watch parties to a new women’s sports hub coming in spring 2026.

» READ MORE: Watch Party PHL and Temple women’s basketball celebrate the city’s addition of a WNBA team

Although women’s sports continues to grow in the city — Philly’s first women’s sports bar, Marsha’s, opened in September — Sykes believes there’s still more to be done.

“Overall, Pennsylvania did everything we asked,” Sykes said. “So, I think moving forward, it’s just a matter of every time somebody comes wanting to play here, just make sure to include us. When I say us, I mean the Philadelphia Sisters and Watch Party PHL because we are like the connectors.

“If everybody works together and connects all the dots, we’re only going to be in a stronger and better position to compete with New York and LA and all the other big cities and be recognized for women’s sports. And people in Philadelphia know about the fandom. But now it’s about women’s sports and for them to recognize that there’s so much potential here as well.”