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===RollerGames revival===
===RollerGames revival===
In 1989, [[Emmy Award]]-winning television producers [[David Sams]] (who helped launch ''[[Wheel of Fortune]]'', ''[[Jeopardy]]'', and ''[[The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' while head of global marketing and creative affairs at [[King World]]) and [[Mike Miller (television)|Mike Miller]] (who went on to produce shows like ''[[When Animals Attack]]'') teamed with Roller Games owner Bill Griffiths, Sr. to create a modern version of the sport called ''[[RollerGames]]''. Instead of a banked oval track, a [[figure eight]] track was used where one side heavily banked, and included obstacles such as the "Wall of Death" (which was located on the heavily banked side) and the "Jet Jump". As a [[tiebreaker]], two skaters would skate around a pit full of [[alligator]]s. The first skater to skate around the pit five times or to throw his opponent into the alligator pit was declared the winner.


:''Main article{{#if:{{{2|}}}|s}}: [[RollerGames]]{{#if:{{{2| }}}
The show also included halftime entertainment by musical performers like [[Lita Ford]], [[Warrant (American band)|Warrant]], [[Exposé (band)|Exposé]] and commentary by [[Wally George]]. Main commentators for the show were former [[Ohio State University|Ohio State]] football and basketball announcer [[Chuck Underwood]] and [[David Sams]] himself. Former [[Phoenix, Arizona]] news reporter [[Shelley Jamison]] (who also appeared nude in [[Playboy]]) served as sideline reporter. ''RollerGames'' premiered in 95% of the country, and, though generally panned by critics, was well-received among teenagers and college students.
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''RollerGames'', created in 1989 by two television producers and Roller Games owner Bill Griffiths, Sr., was a U.S. television show that presented a theatrical version of the sport of roller derby for a national audience. It featured a number of skaters who had been in the Roller Games league, as well as younger participants. It was broadcast for one season (1989–1990) before its distributor went bankrupt.
The "world famous" [[Los Angeles T-Birds]] were one of the teams used for the show. Other teams were The Rockers, Hot Flash, The Violators, Bad Attitude, and The Maniacs. Many of the athletes that skated for Griffiths in the past were used for ''RollerGames''. Some of the most visible skaters included the T-Bird Twins (two blonde waitresses that Sams recruited while dining at a trendy LA area eatery), "The IceBox" Robert Smith, "Mr. Mean" Harold Jackson, "Electric" Randi Whitman (who got her nickname because of her hair), "Stars and Stripes" Matt Beckham, Dar The Star, Patsy Delgato, and the late Ralphie Valladares, whose daughter, Gina, skated for Hot Flash.

Former ABC ''[[Monday Night Football]]'' director [[Chet Forte]] was recruited to direct the show. Many of the graphics and camera techniques were unique for the day, like the cameras on the skaters. Some of the storylines were off-the-wall, but tame by today's standards—the main storyline was a controversy involving the T-Bird Twins being drafted as one person, rather than two. Hair-pulling and catfights were crowd favorites.

The show only lasted one season before getting cancelled because the distributor went [[bankrupt]], though not as a result of RollerGames. Ironically, the ratings were quite good, even beating out the popular ''[[American Gladiators]]''. In many cities, ''RollerGames'' aired late at night, against ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', while in others it aired mid-day on Saturdays.

The last ''RollerGames'' events, and the only ones held in the 1990s, were held in 1990 and 1993:
* [[August 8]], [[1990]] in [[Edmonton, Alberta]] (Canada)
* [[August 9]], [[1990]] in [[Calgary, Alberta]] (Canada)
* [[February 6]], [[1993]] in [[Auburn Hills, Michigan]] (USA)
<!--were these televised?-->All three events were T-Birds vs. RGI All-Stars.<ref>[http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/bankedtracknews/message/67?threaded=1&source=1 Post by "williamwsl1"] on bankedtracknews, [[February 24]], [[2000]].</ref> It is not clear whether these were televised.


===RollerJam revival===
===RollerJam revival===

Revision as of 18:49, 27 April 2006

Roller derby is an American contact sport—and historically, a form of sports entertainment—based on formation roller skating around a track. It is played at both professional and amateur levels. While traditionally for both women and men, roller derby has developed a predominately female circuit during its current revival.

Trademarks

Several trademarks for the proper noun "Roller Derby" are currently in effect in multiple countries. The first three are owned by Roller Derby Skate Corporation, a manufacturer of wheeled skates, based in Litchfield, Illinois:

  • An entertainment exhibition involving a contest between teams of roller skaters, first used in commerce in 1935.
  • A brand name and logo for roller skates, wheels, and repair parts, first used in commerce in 1935.
  • A brand name and logo for t-shirts, jackets, and trousers, first used in commerce in 1987.

The other current trademark was registered June 6, 2005 and applies to a computer game by Ages Entertainment Software, Inc., a subsidiary of Viacom.

The common noun "roller derby" is often used to refer to the sport in general in all of its professional and amateur forms. It is possible that some uses of this term may infringe upon Roller Derby Skate Corporation's trademark.

The game

Texas Rollergirls in action. A jammer can be seen at the bottom right-of-center, with a black star on a red helmet.

Roller derby rules vary from league to league, but in general, the sport is played as follows:

Two teams of five skaters, wearing protective gear such as helmets, mouth guards, and pads, take up positions alongside each other in a pack formation. Each team consists of either four blockers and one jammer, or three blockers and two jammers. Helmet colors or designs are typically used to differentiate between player roles.

A signal is given and the jam commences. All skating is performed counter-clockwise on a small, narrow track. Today, a few professional roller derby type leagues use a banked track, while most new leagues, and all leagues that are part of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, use a standard flat skating rink.

Initially leading the pack are special blockers known as pivots, who set the pace and give the other blockers direction in order to strategize and keep the pack relatively tight. Blockers who stray too far from the pack may not be allowed to engage opposing players.

Blockers (including pivots) start skating at the first signal. A second signal is given to launch the jammers, who must catch up to the rear of the pack. Jammers navigate through or around the pack, then lap around the back of the pack. The first jammer to get through the pack legally (for example, without cutting the track or acquiring any penalties) is dubbed lead jammer and may call off the jam at any time.

Scoring commences when the jammers lap around the back of the pack and go through for a second time. One point is scored for each member of the opposing team passed by an inbound jammer. Blockers try to stop the opposing jammer from passing them, while defending their own jammer, who they can assist by pushing or pulling (whipping) in an attempt to advance them through the pack. The jam concludes after a fixed period of time or when the lead jammer calls off the jam. Until then, both jammers are free to lap the pack again and again.

Calling off the jam early is a strategic move to prevent the other team from having the opportunity to score. For example, it can be helpful if the lead jammer's team is at an unexpected disadvantage (due to good defense by the other team, or falling or penalized players on the jammer's team), or it can be used to solidify a lead when the jammer's team is doing exceptionally well.

Physical contact between players is frequent and sometimes violent. Body blocking is allowed, and elbowing is allowed in some leagues, but participants are not allowed to trip or intentionally punch other players. Violence may leave the track and may include striking opponents with available objects. Roller derby participants generally adopt stage names and gimmicks, evoking comparisons to professional wrestling. However, unlike professional wrestling, roller derby (in its current revival) does not involve fixed or scripted matches.

Penalties are given to skaters who block illegally, fight or behave in an unsportsmanlike manner. Penalties can be given after each jam or at the end of a period. Some penalties may result in additional points being scored; for example, in some leagues, a jammer may score a point if a blocker commits a foul against the jammer. Some leagues require penalized players to temporarily stop playing and/or participate in a post-jam challenge that may result in more points being scored.

History

In 1935, during the worst times of the Depression era, a sports promoter named Leo Seltzer invented a spectacle he called Roller Derby, staged at the Chicago Coliseum. Originally intended to compete with then-popular dance marathons, Roller Derby was a simulation of a cross-country roller skating race in which participants circled a track thousands of times to simulate covering the distance between Los Angeles, California and New York, New York. Occasionally, massive collisions and crashes occurred as skaters tried to lap those who were ahead of them. Seltzer realized this was the most exciting part, and tweaked his game to maximize the carnage.

In the 1940s, Roller Derby grew in popularity as a spectator sport. Teams began to represent and compete in other U.S. cities, but all were part of the Seltzer-owned Roller Derby league.

First wave

Roller Derby achieved its first wave of televised popularity in the 1950s. Broadcasts centered on the New York Chiefs, who enjoyed nationwide appearances on CBS and ABC.

In 1958, Leo Seltzer's son Jerry moved the operation to the San Francisco Bay Area and established the most fabled team in the history of the sport, the longtime champion San Francisco Bay Bombers. Stars included Charlie O'Connell, Joanie Weston, and Ann Calvello.

A more theatrical imitation called Roller Games was started in 1961 by retired Roller Derby skaters in Los Angeles. Owned by Bill Griffiths, Sr., Roller Games was the first rival league to the original Roller Derby.[citation needed]

In 1973, high overhead costs and other factors led to the demise of Roller Derby. Star skaters continued to skate in Roller Games, but within two years that company's circus-like approach doomed the attraction, and fans deserted the arenas.

Several attempts were made in the late 1970s and 1980s to revive the sport, including an effort in cooperation with ESPN, without much success.

RollerGames revival

Main article: RollerGames

RollerGames, created in 1989 by two television producers and Roller Games owner Bill Griffiths, Sr., was a U.S. television show that presented a theatrical version of the sport of roller derby for a national audience. It featured a number of skaters who had been in the Roller Games league, as well as younger participants. It was broadcast for one season (1989–1990) before its distributor went bankrupt.

RollerJam revival

Between June 1998 and June 2000, Knoxville, Tennessee television impresarios Ross K. Bagwell Sr. and Stephen Land staged another revival known as RollerJam. Bagwell and Land recruited numerous stars from the Roller Derby of yesteryear, as well as newer stars from various athletic backgrounds, to skate in the six-team World Skating League (WSL). Jerry Seltzer, the son of the game's creator Leo Seltzer, was named RollerJam "commissioner". Games were televised out of "RollerJam Arena," situated on the grounds of Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. Despite strong funding and a television deal with The Nashville Network (TNN, now known as Spike TV), this venture failed, probably due to a lack of consistency with respect to how to present the product. The production standards were poor. The hype was less than that of Roller Games, but the action was as good. Two notable veterans from Roller Games, Rockin' Ray Robles and Patsy Delgato, were featured in the second season of RollerJam. When RollerJam was cancelled, many of the skaters found smaller leagues to skate in.

Today's roller derby

Amateur, all-female leagues

The Hell Marys, a Texas Rollergirls team, discuss tactics during half-time. This photo demonstrates typical components of uniforms used by leagues in the modern, all-female revival: skirts, stockings, and protective gear.

In the early 21st century, after two decades in relative obscurity, the sport began to experience a grassroots revival, particularly among women, with amateur leagues forming in urban centers across North America. At the end of 2005 there were over 50 such leagues, and by mid-February 2006 the number had grown to more than 80. The sudden growth in 2006 is partially attributed to the exposure the sport achieved via the Rollergirls reality television show that began broadcasting in January. Rollergirls was canceled due to low ratings in April 2006.

These contemporary leagues are thus far all-female and are self-organized, formed in an indie spirit by relatively new roller derby enthusiasts. They all use traditional quad roller skates, not inline skates. Many are non-profit organizations, and most leagues compete on flat, not banked, tracks. Each league typically features two or more local teams that compete in public matches, called bouts, for a rapidly growing fanbase. Members of fledgling leagues often practice and strategize together, regardless of team affiliation, between bouts.

Since mid-2004, 30 such all-female leagues have banded together to form the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), which coordinates and sets the rules that govern inter-league competition among its members. The WFTDA member leagues create "travel" teams who play against each other in regional matches, although some leagues that are not WFTDA members have independently arranged their own travel teams and inter-league bouts. WFTDA is not currently accepting new members, and its current membership requirements prevent some leagues from being eligible[1], but the organization does plan to begin inducting more leagues in mid-2006.

On February 24–26, 2006, Tucson Roller Derby hosted the Dust Devil, the first national championship tournament for the new leagues. Twenty Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) leagues converged on Tucson, AZ for three days of intense competition leading up to the championship final, in which the Texas Rollergirls were victorious against the Tuscon Saddletramps.[2]

Professional leagues

There are also a few leagues, mostly mixed-gender, that originated in the RollerGames era and continue to compete today. Due to their history, management, and style of play, as well as marketing considerations, these leagues promote themselves as professional, not amateur roller derby organizations.

One such league is the National Roller Derby League (NRDL), which presently consists of teams that train and compete on banked tracks in the coastal cities of Southern California only. One of the NRDL teams, the L.A. Stars, is sometimes billed as the L.A. T'Birds, which may be an attempt to capitalize on the legacy of the L.A. T-Birds from RollerGames.

Another of these leagues is American Skating Roller Derby (ASRD), consisting of the (San Jose) Bay Bombers, Chicago Pioneers, New York Chiefs, and Brooklyn Red Devils.

A third professional league, the American Roller Derby League (ARDL), focuses on promoting the (San Francisco) Bay City Bombers, along with the Los Angeles Turbos, New York Demons, and two all-female teams, the Lady Killers and SF Roller Girls, in the San Francisco Bay area. The ARDL is currently training female skaters for the professional ranks. The ARDL was featured in the movie Jam, has sponsored novels and a clothing line, and is sometimes promoted as the American Inline Roller Derby League when competing on inline skates.

Defining amateur and professional

In the United States, under the provisions of the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, the definition of an amateur athlete is up to the national governing body for each sport. The U.S. national governing body for all amateur roller skating sports is USA Roller Sports (USARS), which defines an "amateur competitive roller skater" very broadly as anyone who is a good sport when competing in USARS events and who does not misrepresent their previous competitive experience; USARS does not formally exclude anyone on the basis of occupational status or, apparently, any other criteria.[3] USARS also does not yet acknowledge roller derby by name in its bylaws (it only acknowledges "artistic, speed, and hockey", although its membership application for individuals has additional categories "noncompetitive", "recreation" and "aggressive"—roller derby is listed under the latter), but might accept not-for-profit (as shown by statements of funds disbursement) amateur roller derby leagues as members, at the discretion of the USARS Board of Directors.[4]

The only other governing body for roller derby in the U.S. is WFTDA, but defining amateur and professional are not within the scope of its charter; it exists primarily just to facilitate competition and goodwill among its member leagues, and has no authority.

Currently, the delineation between "professional" and "amateur" levels of competition in roller derby is essentially a matter of self-identification; organizations that want to bill themselves are one or the other are free to do so without consequence. Most contemporary leagues don't use such terms at all, although their relative newness to the sport tends to relegate them to "amateur" status among fans and players alike.

As of 2006, there are, however, notable differences between the organizations that promote themselves as professional and those that don't. These differences do not necessarily define what is "professional" and what is "amateur"; they are just observable trends:

  • Professional leagues tend to favor mixed-gender teams. Thus far, the current wave of amateur leagues are all-female.
  • Professional leagues tend to have teams that represent and train in different cities, whereas amateur leagues each tend to represent and train within a single metropolitan area.
  • Professional leagues tend to be owned by individual promoters, investors, sponsors, and/or external corporations. Even when "skater-owned" (owned by individuals who have a skating background), primary management of the league is not in the hands of the organization's members. Amateur/other leagues have a variety of business structures, ranging from this style to fully non-profit, all-skater-managed organizations.
  • Today's professional leagues tend to have roots in earlier Roller Derby revivals like RollerGames, and are comprised partly of athletes and promoters who were active in those eras of the sport. The modern amateur leagues tend to have no connection to any historical leagues, which is often deliberate.
  • Historically, skaters in professional leagues were full-time employees of the league, and received financial compensation for their service. It is unclear whether this is true today.[citation needed] Skaters in amateur/other leagues are generally not compensated and engage in the sport in their spare time.
  • Professional leagues tend to have greater access to banked tracks and are vocal proponents of banked-track competition, while amateur/other leagues tend to only have access to flat tracks and favor flat-track competition, although some do favor banked tracks, and some even use both. The different types of tracks lead to different styles of play, which some people may choose to view as reflecting professionalism or amateurism. The merits and drawbacks of flat vs. banked tracks are sources of heated debates and strong opinions throughout the sport.
  • Even though they tend to have more experienced skaters, in comparison to other leagues, the professional leagues devote greater attention to showmanship and entertainment gimmicks. Other leagues tend to focus more, although not exclusively, on athleticism. These different approaches to producing a roller derby spectacle reflect the different histories, ownership/management structures, and goals of the different leagues, as well as different interpretations of the expectations of fans. The differences are most notable between those leagues that are profit-driven and that strive to acquire and maintain television exposure, and those that train and compete out of a pure love for the sport.

Some do not consider any form of roller derby to be "professional" since it is not covered by major sports media outlets and because it has a history of being promoted more like "professional wrestling" than, say, professional hockey.

The relative lack of reliable, published, and Internet-accessible information about the activities of both historic and modern "professional" roller derby leagues makes it difficult to make qualitative assessments of other possible differences, such as the types of training facilities, competition venues, rules and regulations, training schedules, etc.

Roller derby in popular culture

Film and television

  • In 1949, Roller Derby Girl, a 10-minute short film produced and directed by Justin Herman was released as part of Paramount's Pacemaker series. It was nominated for, but did not win, an Academy Award in 1950.
  • In 1950, Twentieth Century Fox released The Fireball, a fictional film starring Mickey Rooney as a boy who runs away to join the Roller Derby—called the Roller Speedway—and falls in love. This is one of Marilyn Monroe's first films.
  • In 1971, the documentary film Derby (titled Roller Derby in the United Kingdom) was released. It focused on an American man who joined the Roller Derby. Though not a box office hit, it remains on the list of many critics' favorite documentaries of all time.
  • In 1972, Raquel Welch starred in Kansas City Bomber, a fictional film about a female roller derby player who learns to take control of her life both on and off the track.
  • An exploitation film entitled Unholy Rollers: The Leader of the Pack was also released in 1972. Written and directed by Vernon Zimmerman, the movie stars Claudia Jennings as a factory worker who quits her job to join the roller derby.
  • In September 1973, "Bailey's Comets", an animated series from DePatie/Freling Studios debuted on CBS. It was about the Comets, a 6 member (3 male, 3 female) roller derby team involved in an international race against other, rather bizarre teams for a $1 million cash prize.
  • In December 1973, NBC aired "The Roller Derby Story", the fourteenth episode of the Hanna-Barbera-produced TV cartoon The Addams Family. In the episode, the family becomes embroiled in a feud between two roller derby teams, The Angels and The Demons, and end up playing for The Angels. The episode was released in North America on videocasette (NTSC VHS) in 1992.
  • In 1975, Rollerball was released. The fictional film, set in a dystopian future, is loosely based on the Roller Derby concept, and concentrates on social and political issues. Several skaters from the original Roller Derby have cameo/stunt scenes in the film. It was remade in 2002.
  • In 1976, the Disney film The Shaggy D.A. featured a roller derby subplot.
  • In 1976, ABC aired "Angels on Wheels," the twelfth episode of the series Charlie's Angels, in which the Angels investigate the murder of a roller games queen.
  • In 1978, NBC produced a short-lived TV sitcom called The Roller Girls which featured the exploits of an all-female roller games team.
  • In 1986, the 57-minute documentary Roller Derby Mania was released direct to video (NTSC VHS) in North America. It features the L.A. T-Birds roller games team, as well as classic Roller Derby footage. A Region 1 DVD edition was released in 2003.
  • In 1989, producers David Sams and Mike Miller brought Roller Games to television via syndication. The show debuted to a 5 rating, which was better than American Gladiators and many wrestling shows. At a cost of $250,000 per show, 13 episodes were produced. 13 revised episodes were released the following year, but the show was cancelled because the distributor went bankrupt for reasons unrelated to Roller Games.
  • In 1991, the 30-minute documentary Roller Derby Wars was released direct to video (NTSC VHS) in North America. It was released on video in the U.K. in 1993 (PAL VHS).
  • In 2001, Demon Of The Derby, a biographical documentary about aging roller derby star Ann Calvello, was released.
  • In 2002, Rollerball, a remake of the 1975 film, was released. It is much more action-based than its predecessor.
  • In March 2005, Fox Broadcasting Company aired "Arlen City Bomber", the 181st episode of the animated series King of the Hill. The episode, in which Luanne and Peggy join a roller skating team, features a banked track league.
  • On November 30, 2005, CBS aired "Jamalot", an episode of the fictional, dramatic TV series CSI: NY. In the episode, the death of a roller derby jammer is investigated. Frita Fondle, Dita Slayworth, Molly Hatchett, Redjenn, and Tara Armov of the LA Derby Dolls appear in the episode.
  • On January 2, 2006, the A&E Network premiered Rollergirls, a reality television show consisting of 13 one-hour episodes featuring the Lonestar Rollergirls, a banked track league. The show was canceled April 2, 2006 after airing only 10 episodes.
  • Jam, a professional film about the lives of derby skaters and promoters, premiered in 2006. The film won best documentary at the South by Southwest film festival.
  • On March 15, 2006, Tucson Roller Derby released "Hits, Highlights & Catfights", a 2 DVD set covering its first 2 seasons.
  • Hell On Wheels, an amateur video documentary about the current amateur, all-female leagues in Texas, is in post-production.

Books

  • 1971. Deford, Frank. Five Strides on the Banked Track: The Life and Times of the Roller Derby. Little Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316179-20-5.
  • 1999. Coppage, Keith. Roller Derby to Rollerjam: The Authorized Story of an Unauthorized Sport. Santa Rosa, California: Squarebooks. ISBN 0-916290-80-8.
  • 2005. Fitzpatrick, Jim. Roller Derby Classics… and more!. Foreword by Ann Calvello. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-4120-6678-6.
  • 2006. Bordner, D. M. Roller Babes: The Story of the Roller Derby Queen. iUniverse, Inc. ISBN 0-5956-7544-1.

Music

  • The 1974 Jim Croce album Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits contains the humorous song "Roller Derby Queen", in which the narrator explains how he fell in love with a female roller derby star he saw on a barroom television screen.
  • The New Zealand band The Datsuns featured the Los Angeles Derby Dolls in their video for "Girl's Best Friend" (from their 2004 Outta Sight/Outta Mind CD).
  • The 2005 album LP III by Twin Cities punk rock band The Soviettes contains the song "Roller Girls". It was also released as a 7" single backed with the "Roller Girls MN Party Mix", featuring backing vocals by the Minnesota Rollergirls.

References

  1. ^ Requirements for WFTDA membership, accessed April 22, 2006
  2. ^ 2006 Dust Devil tournament info and statistics at the Tuscon Roller Derby web site; accessed April 22, 2006.
  3. ^ USARS bylaws Article III, §1.C.1. Accessed April 23, 2006.
  4. ^ USARS bylaws Article III, §1.C.5 and §3.B.1; and Article XIX. Accessed April 23, 2006.

See also

External links

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