Showing the 'Love': At 'Love Island' watch parties, NYers have a clear favorite

Crowds of eager fans have filled sports bars all over New York City this summer, but they're not there for the Knicks or Yankees. They're cheering on their favorite contestants in a much more cutthroat, high-stakes competition: “Love Island.”

"Love Island" on Peacock is having a moment — reaching viewership heights in Season 7 with a reported 1 billion-plus viewers across its first nine episodes. In the elimination-style show, people move into a luxury villa in Fiji in hopes of finding love. The “islanders” must pair up with one another — in the world of “Love Island,” being single is quite literally for losers — with viewers ultimately voting on a winning couple to take home a $100,000 cash prize.

Kathryn VanArendonk, a culture critic at “Vulture,” told Gothamist she thinks a lot of the hype has to do with a "kind of dual reality." Part of the excitement may be driven by scandals that have seen contestants booted from the show for fan-discovered instances of racism — with viewers rewarding the show with further engagement as it responds to to real-world concerns in real time, she said.

But whatever's driving the hype, it's proving to be a boon for New York City bars more used to welcoming sports fans than pretty-people relationship stans. And among New Yorkers, there seems to be a clear fan favorite.

“ Amaya, if she could win alone, I would be voting for that option,” said Emily Keating, who attended a viewing party this week at the Malt House in the Village with nearly all of her coworkers.

Amaya “Papaya” Espinal won over viewers during this season of “Love Island” with her spunk, humor and silly metaphors. And she just so happens to be from the city.

"I feel like I can fly like the pigeons back in New York City,” she said in one recent episode. “But I'll be a really pretty, clean pigeon, but I feel free.”

The 25-year-old Dominican New Yorker entered the villa on day five. After several failed match-ups with other “bombshells” on the show, Espinal found a spark with 28-year-old Bostonian Bryan Arenales. The duo has been well-received by “Love Island's” audience.

For Destiny Baire, having a fellow Dominican New Yorker to root for has made the show all the more exciting.

“ My family's from the Bronx, they're Dominican, Puerto Rican, so I really connect with Amaya in a way. … She reminds me of all my cousins and my aunts,” Baire said. “ It's a great feeling to see that we're represented and that people love us, 'cause everyone loves Amaya, so kind of like they support us, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans, and it's just exciting to see.”

Viewers have seen Espinal as a bright spot in a season chock-full of drama and controversy.

“ I think we have to root for Amaya,” said Kevin O'Hanlon, who co-owns  the Malt House near NYU. “New York people get behind New York people. That's the one thing I love about this city.”

He never planned on his bar becoming a hot spot for reality TV viewing. He hadn’t even seen an episode of “Love Island” until recently. But midway through the current season of the show, two of his staff members, Abigail Dooley and Remi Miyake, suggested a viewing party.

While O’Hanlon was initially skeptical that the event would draw much of a crowd on a weekday evening, the turnout blew him away.

And the bar was packed this Tuesday, which is atypical for an early weeknight in July.

The show was on every single one of the bar's screens, and the crowd erupted in cheers much like sports fans do when their teams score — but for dramatic moments like kisses, arguments and eliminations.

The Malt House kicked off its watch parties three weeks ago, turning normally slow, quiet weekday nights into reservation-only, fully booked soirees. And with “Love Island” episodes dropping nearly every day, O’Hanlon said, it’s been great for business.

Other venues around the city have also latched on to the popularity of “Love Island,” throwing their own viewing parties. Up in the Bronx, Mamajuana Cafe invites patrons to an outdoor beach-themed patio serving special island-style cocktails as the show is projected on a big screen.

“ I love everyone that comes here, the whole community. But it's a different, younger crowd right now that they're full of energy — this is our future,” said Mamajuana Cafe's manager Cindy Vaca, whose daughter suggested the restaurant host watch parties. “They're coming with their friends, they're coming with matching T-shirts. They're yelling and screaming and making new friends, and it's just nice to see a new group of faces.

For bar owners and workers, there are noticeable differences between Love Island nights and big sports game nights. At the Malt House, O’Hanlon said, Love Island parties are dominated by women. They bring in more food orders, more conversation, more connection — and more spending overall per patron.

There’s also a big difference in the noise level.

”It was raucous in here,” said Colin McGann, who was visiting the city from California and stumbled into the Malt House’s watch party. “It felt like it was a playoff game, like high-end NBA, like we're going nuts, it's game five. This winner wakes all — like this felt like an intense sporting experience.”

“Love Island” is the latest series to reach watercooler TV status, widely watched and discussed, especially on social media. VanArendonk, from “Vulture,” said the frequency of episodes — five episodes, plus one recap discussion episode a week — has helped create that buzz, and could be the reason people are craving to watch it in person.

“It's online-ness has become so immersive and so pervasive that it is like when you want the same kind of immersive experience like the 'Harry Potter' books — you love 'Harry Potter,' you wanna go to Harry Potter World and be in that space,” she said. “That's why people are going to these 'Love Island' parties and watching them all together.”

That was the draw for Ayanna Stephens, who was at the Malt House with her friends.

“ I think it gives a sense of community in such a big city, you feel like united around the same goal — watching a show and you guys just get to enjoy it with your friends,” she said.

"Love Island's" season finale airs on Sunday, July 13, the last chance for bars and other venues to capitalize off of the demand for viewing parties this year. Mamajuana Cafe and the Malt House are hosting finale celebrations, and both are fully booked.

The owners are also exploring other shows that might allow them to replicate the parties.