BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — While the most-watched sports tournament on the planet starts this week outside the Sooner state, Green Country is still on the ball for the beautiful game - without charging an arm and a leg for you and your family.
"Watch parties here of course, every single day," Ashley Thomason of Empire Bar Tulsa said of her World Cup watching plans.
WATCH: Green Country World Cup watch parties set for U.S., Mexico debuts
Empire Bar is a no-brainer for many new and experienced soccer fans who aren't traveling during for the tournament's games June 11- July 19. "A group of us are going to go down to Dallas to be a part of the orange wave for the Netherlands against Japan, but outside of that we'll always be at Empire catching every game," customer Hannah Spangler told 2 News Oklahoma.
There are plenty of family-friendly venues too. Mother Road Market on 11th Street plans a U.S. Men's National Team-themed dinner and watch party June 12 at 8pm for the co-host country's debut against Paraguay.
FC Tulsa also announced a list of sponsored World Cup watch parties throughout the duration of the tournament this summer.
Holy Family Cathedral plans a community picnic and watching event at its downtown location June 12, though a rep told 2 News its RSVP list has grown overwhelmingly large and warns it might get too crowded for comfort.
For those north of Tulsa, or who would just like a slightly bigger screen, Bartlesville High School's Custer Stadium has the match as well - with a lot of space in the stands, on the pitch and on the jumbotron.
Jeff Bastings of Washington County Soccer Club said it will be the city's first-ever community-wide soccer watch party.
"This just gave us the opportunity to really get the community involved and come out and just see how big the game has grown," Bastings told 2 News on June 10, crediting BHS Boys Soccer coach Cedric Muteshi with the original idea to air the match on the stadium's big screen.
"I visualized having people together, celebrating and enjoying the sport," Muteshi said. "To be able to support whatever team they want, whether they say U.S. or if it's Paraguay. But I think it's going to bloom. I think it's going to be really good."
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