Tennis Bar’s Big Misstep
A bar in New York, claiming to be the city’s first tennis-themed establishment, caused quite an uproar recently. On Thursday, it opted to show NFL football instead of hosting its usual trivia night and the much-anticipated women’s semi-finals of the US Open.
30 Love, located in the East Village, muted the TVs for the football game, leaving tennis fans irate. They wanted to hear the commentary and cheer for their favorite players.
“When we came here, it was all about tennis. There were lots of fans cheering, connecting, and now we’re missing out. I’m really disappointed,” said a patron.
After hearing about the bar’s tennis-centric vibe from friends at the Central Park tennis courts, Hailey O’Neill and a friend made the trip to catch Alina Sabalenka’s match against Jessica Pegula. They left quickly upon realizing the bar was prioritizing the football game.
While soccer played quietly in the background, trivia was occurring upstairs, which seemed odd for a place focused on tennis.
“This is a tennis bar. They chose to prioritize trivia tonight when there were two women’s semi-finals happening. It doesn’t make sense,” O’Neill noted.
Being unable to hear Sabalenka’s grunts during her match added to her disappointment. “We’re really missing out. It’s frustrating,” she expressed.
30 Love opened in February, promoting itself as a prime spot to catch US Open matches, even offering their take on the tournament’s signature honey deuce drink. But on Thursday, the main TV was showing the Cowboys vs. Eagles game, while the women’s matches played on a smaller screen. The silence was interrupted only by trivia and loud music.
Another customer, Banou Arjomand, was also taken aback by the football’s prominence. “We came here specifically looking for tennis matches,” she explained, noting her dissatisfaction with the trivia taking over the evening.
Interestingly, not every customer was upset. Many were there for the trivia, including Lindsey Davis, who mentioned that they were partially watching the matches in the background. “We still wanted to catch the semi-finals, even if it was just a little,” she said.
The bar’s owner, Gabriel Aguilar, maintained that trivia had developed a loyal following. “We still value tennis, but there aren’t tournaments every week,” he said. With almost 20 TVs available, he promised that more tennis would be aired in the future.
As the US Open continues, Aguilar plans to emphasize the matches more prominently. “The first floor will show tennis, while the second will have football,” he explained, hoping for a packed venue this weekend.
Guillermo Rangel, another staff member, mentioned the bar’s desire to cater to various interests, stating, “We want to offer a mix, not just tennis, but a slice of life.”
