Watch parties: Join fellow Heat & Panthers fans at these South Florida venues
Tell your friends and family you’re busy for the next two weeks, at a minimum.
Our two local teams, the Miami Heat and Florida Panthers, have reached the Finals, and it’s time for South Florida sports enthusiasts — and even many who don’t normally follow basketball and hockey — to figure out where to watch the games.
A hefty 14 games are scheduled over 19 nights, beginning Thursday, when the Miami Heat play Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Denver. On Saturday, the Florida Panthers play Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Las Vegas.
Here’s where to watch with fellow fans. (And keep checking back, as we’ll continue to update this roundup.)
MIAMI HEAT
Kaseya Center (601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami; 786-777-1000; kaseyacenter.com): A Miami Heat Road Rally is planned for Thursday’s Game 1, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. The rally will include an “interactive watch party” with the team’s public address announcer, Michael Baiamonte, as well as other Miami Heat staples such as Uptown Dale, Burnie, the HEAT Dancers and Hoop Troop. Tickets are $10, and parking is $10. Some concessions will be open; food cannot be brought in.
STARRY Miami HEAT Bandwagon: This roving party bus will make stops around Miami on June 7 for the third game in the series. Promoters promise a “meet and greet with a team legend” as a DJ blasts music from the bus. To get a ride, fans must go to DJ IRIE’s Twitter @IRIE and reply to the bandwagon post. Five fans will win seats on the bus for themselves and three friends for a two-hour ride. Visit Twitter.com/IRIE.
NOBO Brewing Co. (2901 Commerce Park Drive, Boynton Beach; 561-320-1522; nobobrewing.com): The brewery will host an Unofficial Miami Heat NBA Finals Watch Party and Free Trivia night beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
The Wharf Fort Lauderdale (20 W. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-372-7606; wharfftl.com): The downtown riverfront party hub is showing games on a giant screen with sound on. Also offered: Giant beer pong and cornhole; $5 Tito’s cocktails from 4 to 7 p.m.; food from Red Cow BBQ, Lunchroom Sandwiches, The Piefather, Cookies & Cream, and Los Altos Taqueria.
Bokamper’s Sports Bar & Grill (1280 S. Pine Island Road, Plantation; 954-533-7152; bokampers.com/plantation): Menu includes jumbo shrimp, nachos, wings, chili, salmon and burgers.
Packy’s Sports Pub (4480 N. Federal Highway, Lighthouse Point; 954-657-8423; packysportspub.com): 8:30 p.m. on Heat game nights and 8 p.m. on Panthers nights. Burgers, sandwiches, chicken parm and salads are on the menu.
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; 866-502-7529; seminolehardrockhollywood.com/bars-and-lounges): The Hard Rock Sports Bar will show all Heat and Panthers games “on a massive wall of LED TVs providing 360 degrees of live sports action” with audio, according to the hotel. Reservations are recommended.
Smitty’s Sistrunk Wings (1134 NW Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-900-4425; smittyssistrunk.com): Heat games will be on all seven TV screens, and a DJ will play music during commercials and half-time.
Honey (16 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; 561-270-7187; Facebook.com/honeydelray): In the heart of downtown Delray Beach, Honey has a festive bar scene and an outdoor patio area. Open from 8 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays.
Munchie’s Pizza Club (200 SW 2nd St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-546-8624; munchiespizzaclub.com):The club will show Heat and Panthers games on large screens. Patrons who bring their dogs will receive a free slice of Pupperoni Pizza (peanut butter and bacon on a gluten free crust). Patrons who wear white to Heat watch parties will receive a free shot on the house. If the Heat or Panthers win, guests also get a free shot on the house.
Original Fat Cat’s (320 Himmarshee St., Fort Lauderdale; 954-467-5867; Facebook.com/originalfatcats): Games will be shown on the big screen and more than a dozen small screens around the restaurant, which has indoor and outdoor seating.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
FLA Live Arena (1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise; 954-835-7000; flalivearena.com/florida-panthers): The Panthers will host two watch parties, for Game 1 on June 3 and Game 2 on June 5. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $10 for general admission and includes parking; proceeds benefit the Florida Panthers Foundation. Food and drinks will be available, and the Pantherland store will be open. The Game 1 watch party will include beer tastings for fans age 21 and older from Funky Buddha Brewery, plus T-shirt giveaways, games and drink specials. The Game 2 watch party will feature drink specials and samples from Jameson, G.H. Mumm and Coors Light.
The Inn Field (11439 West Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise; 954-741-2100; theinnfield.com): Buy one beer and get one free if you show your ticket to a Florida Panthers game from this past season.
Bru’s Room (235 S. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach; 954-785-2227; brusroompb.com): The bar installed an “amazing new big screen,” just in time for the Heat and Panthers games, according to a post on Facebook.com/brusroompompano.
The Irishmen Pub (1745 NW Boca Raton Blvd., Boca Raton; 561-368-1129; irishmenpub.com): Festivities begin at 8:30 p.m. for Heat games and 8 p.m. for Panthers games.
