ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Pride announced last week the start of their Pride Pub Program, giving five Central Florida bars access to view the team's matches on television.

As women's sports are growing more and more in popularity and following, so are the ways to support them. In Portland, a bar called The Sports Bra famously opened about a year ago, which exclusively plays womens sports on their TVs, giving fans who otherwise wouldn't get to see their teams play at a sports bar a place to go. With the Pride Pub Program, bars in Orlando have now been designated to give fans that similar experience.

One of the five bars in the program is Pups Pub in Downtown Orlando. General Manager Ryan Durr has found the perfect spot to combine his loves for animals and the bar and restaurant business. 

"My whole family is veterinarian so I've always worked with them growing up and kinda took my love for that with my experience in the bar to take it to the next level," said Durr.

He became one of the founding members of Pups Pub when it opened last July. However, his passions don't end at pups and pubs.

"All sports," said Durr. "I love Orlando City love, Orlando Pride, big football fan big baseball fan. just kinda anything that brings people together it kinda sounds like."

Orlando Pride designated Pups Pub among their five designated bars in the new program, which also includes Playa Pizza, Pour Choice Taphouse, Forward/Slash and A Brasileria.

"People love their dog and they love drinking so when you combine it why not? If you can do it while supporting your Pride and Orlando city its great all the time," said Durr. 

Because NWSL matches are broadcast on streaming services primarily, not all fans may be able to watch the Pride without having a subscription of their own. Now, at places like Pups Pub, not only can one watch their local team with Pride giveaways and discounts, but also do it with your furry friend.

"Since you can't get that at any other bar, it gives us that added help that you could bring in, kinda get more groups to come in and watch the game here at Pups Pub," said Durr. 

Pups Pub has worked with Orlando Pride and City in the past with adoption events, creating the initial partnership.

"We first found out when they did the puppy event with Orlando City, we cross partnered with them and then further reached out to kinda become a parter with them to kinda do events and stuff like that," said Durr. "We have regulars now that come here all the time that didn't have dogs now come here all the time after our adoption events."

The partnerships between the Pride and bars like Pups Pub helps further connect different parts of the Orlando community with the team: showing support with man, and woman's, best friend.

"We actually have a large community of gay regulars that are local and they love to come out to support, mainly the away games that we can broadcast for them," said Durr. "They can all kinda collaborate together and have some fun."