Aubrey Plaza wears Philly shirt at WNBA game

Aubrey Plaza's appearance in a Philly Watch Party PHL shirt at a WNBA game links celebrity visibility with support for a local women’s sports venture.

Aubrey Plaza wears Philly women's sports shirt at WNBA game

Aubrey Plaza was courtside at Barclays Center for the New York Liberty versus Minnesota Lynx game, wearing Watch Party PHL's Philly is a Women's Sports Town shirt. The shirt rapidly drew attention, selling out and prompting a restock plan by the print partner Go Hamm. Founder Jen Leary says the design ties to a broader goal of opening a Watch Party PHL gathering space that would operate as a cafe by day and a bar by night, with proceeds supporting the project. Plaza’s sister Natalie helped coordinate the moment, and the story gained visibility after the shirt appeared on the jumbotron and in social media posts.

The moment also sits in a larger plan: Philadelphia is pursuing its own WNBA team in 2030, a context Leary says made the timing feel serendipitous. The shirt’s quick spike in interest led Leary to coordinate a quick print run, and she notes a portion of sales will fund the new space. The episode underscores how local fan-led ventures can ride celebrity proximity into attention and funding channels.

The incident shows how a celebrity sighting can instantly spotlight a local business idea and a grassroots community project. It demonstrates the power of merch as a fundraising tool when tied to a clear local need. It also highlights a risk: the reliance on a viral moment rather than steady, transparent funding channels and long term planning for a community space. If the project grows, it will need to prove it can sustain itself beyond the initial buzz and navigate investor expectations. The episode suggests that women’s sports communities can mobilize behind shared symbols, but they will need durable models to turn momentum into lasting outcomes.

Highlights

Moments like this show the line between fandom and community building is thin but powerful.