Roller derby is a roller skating contact sport played on an oval track by two teams of five skaters. It is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, though it is most popular in the United States.
82-662: Sydney Roller Derby League ( SRDL ) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in the New South Wales city of Sydney . Founded in 2007, Sydney is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). Sydney Roller Derby League was established in late 2007, by a handful of women interested in creating a league in which to play roller derby. The league has been steadily growing ever since. It now has over 90 members. Sydney Roller Derby League held its first full competitive season in 2009 with just two home teams,
164-617: A Question and Answer forum to "provide definitive and final answers about the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Standard Rules. Version Two of the WFTDA Flat Track Derby Standardized Rules for Interleague Play was announced as forthcoming in mid-2006. The WFTDA Rules 4.0 were published in April 2009, with this revised ruleset becoming effective for all WFTDA sanctioned bouts on 1 June 2009. As of 2020 ,
246-418: A circuit track. The jammer scores a point for each opposing blocker they lap. The blockers simultaneously defend by hindering the opposing jammer, while also playing offense by maneuvering to aid their own jammer. Because roller derby uses a penalty box , power jams , in which one team has a temporary numerical advantage after a foul, can have a major effect on scoring. While the sport has its origins in
328-810: A final championship tournament. As of 2019, the WFTDA postseason includes two playoffs that feed into the Championship tournament, plus three standalone, regionally-based Continental Cups. The WFTDA also recognizes eligible tournaments hosted by member leagues. Internationally, the first Roller Derby World Cup took place in Toronto, Canada, in December 2011. The second World Cup took place in Dallas, Texas, in December 2014. Since 2012, USARS has held an annual Roller Derby National Championship. In 2017, FIRS and
410-599: A full member. The intention was that upon completion of the program, apprentice leagues should have had the knowledge and recommendations needed to apply for full WFTDA membership. In June 2010, the WFTDA announced the first round of Apprentice league graduates: Demolition City Roller Derby , Garden State Rollergirls , ICT Roller Girls , London Rollergirls , New Hampshire Roller Derby , Paper Valley Roller Girls , Rockford Rage Women's Roller Derby , Rollergirls of Southern Indiana , Silicon Valley Rollergirls , The Chicago Outfit and Wasatch Roller Derby . In February 2019,
492-490: A given jam, and time and record skaters in the penalty box. The growing popularity of roller skating in the United States led to the formation of organized multi-day endurance races for cash prizes as early as the mid-1880s. Speed and endurance races continued to be held on both flat and banked tracks in the century's first three decades and spectators enjoyed the spills and falls of the skaters. The term derby
574-448: A hard-case sports bra and protective cups. Offense and defense are played simultaneously, a volatile aspect that complicates strategy and tactics. For example, one team's blockers may take offensive action to create a gap in the opposing wall for their jammer to pass through, but this same maneuver could potentially weaken their own defenses and allow the opposing team's jammer to score. Strategies (high-level plans toward achieving
656-401: A meeting that July opened membership to a maximum of sixty leagues; by late August 2007 WFTDA membership was up to 43 leagues, and reached the target of 60 by September 2008. In July 2017, the WFTDA surpassed over 400 member leagues and as of March 2023, there were 443 member leagues on six continents. Prospective WFTDA member leagues can apply to join the organization as long as they meet
738-623: A modified version of the rules for junior leagues. JRDA leagues use the WFTDA ruleset with addenda and a full set of updated JRDA rules is now published annually. The first agreed ruleset and track design was developed in 2005 by member representatives of 20 leagues of the WFTDA-predecessor, the United Leagues Coalition (ULC), and published in 2005. In June 2008, the WFTDA Rules Committee created
820-411: A point for passing that blocker and a point for each opponent blocker not on the track (for instance, serving a penalty, or when the opposition did not field five players for the jam). If the jammer passes the entire pack, it is a four-point scoring trip, commonly called a "grand slam". Each team's blockers use body contact, changing positions, and other tactics to help their jammer score while hindering
902-623: A reciprocity agreement for insurance purposes. Outside the United States, many roller derby leagues enjoy support from their national skate federations, such as Skate Australia , the British Roller Sports Federation , and Roller Sports Canada . In Europe, roller derby was recognized as a sport in Paris in 2010 by the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS), which reports directly to
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#1732802178742984-417: A scenario when one team's jammer is sent to the penalty box. In this case, that jammer's team cannot score. If the lead jammer is penalized, no one can prematurely end the jam. It would be pointless to play if neither team could score; thus, both jammers cannot serve a penalty at the same time. If one jammer is sent to the penalty box while the opposing jammer is already serving a penalty, the opposing jammer
1066-556: A series of playoffs are held, based on the June 30 rankings. While the top four teams as of June 30 get an immediate bye to Championships, the next 24 teams are seeded into two Playoff Tournaments, historically termed as Division 1 , with the top three finishers at each advancing to Championships. This was down from the top 36 teams competing in three Division 1 Playoffs in 2017, when the top four finishers from each tournament advanced to Championships without any bye teams. The Hydra Trophy
1148-553: A single Playoff Tournament, with the winner crowned Division 2 champion. In 2018, there were two Continental Cups in North America, separated as West and East and featuring a combined total of 24 teams, and one Continental Cup in Europe featuring an additional eight teams. The 2018 announcement described the model for Continental Cups as "scalable", such that event numbers and sizes may change over time based on needs. Teams in
1230-490: A system based on the competitive ranking of teams using game results. When the organization did so, WFTDA introduced competitive divisions and expanded the playoff tournament structure. After the November 30 rankings release of each year, each league was placed within a competitive division for the next 12 months based on their charter team's rank. The leagues remained in their division for 12 months, no matter what their rank
1312-458: A team qualified for, only minimum game play requirements. If a Division 2 or 3 team moved up the rankings into the top 40 at the time of tournament seeding that team would be invited to Division 1 Playoffs. Similarly, a Division 1 team moving down the rankings would receive an invitation befitting the team's rank at the time of seeding. In 2017, the WFTDA adjusted the Division system and reduced
1394-547: Is an insurance reciprocity agreement between the organizations. During the COVID-19 pandemic the WFTDA, in consultation with epidemiologists , formed a tiered activity "ladder" in order to keep the league operating during the crisis. The plan was hailed as "the best COVID-19 plan in sports". Restrictions on gameplay and cancellation of the annual season placed significant financial pressure on member leagues, so in July 2021
1476-503: Is awarded annually to the top ranked team determined by the International WFTDA Championships tournament. The 2020 Intentional Playoffs and Championships were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Charter teams ranked below the cutoff for playoffs are seeded into geographically-based Continental Cups, replacing the former Division 2 system, which in 2017 saw the next 16 eligible teams compete in
1558-435: Is played in two periods of 30 minutes. Two teams of up to 15 players each field up to five members for episodes called "jams". Jams last two minutes unless called off prematurely. Each team designates a scoring player (the "jammer"); the other four members are "blockers". One blocker can be designated as a "pivot"—a blocker who is allowed to become a jammer in the course of play. The next jam may involve different players of
1640-711: Is released from the penalty box early. The second jammer's penalty is then only as long as the amount of time the first jammer spent in the box. Players skate on four-wheeled ("quad") roller skates, and are required to wear protective equipment, including a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and mouth guards. All current sets of roller derby rules explicitly forbid inline skates for players. (USARS requires quad skates for all skaters. WFTDA and MRDA permit inline skates for referees, but virtually all referees wear quad skates.) Individual teams may mandate additional gear, such as padded knee length pants, similar to what aggressive skateboarders wear, and sex-specific gear such as
1722-411: Is the ruleset developed and published by the WFTDA, discussed and agreed by the WFTDA Rules Committee which features both WFTDA and Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) members. Updates are published each January. The WFTDA ruleset is used by all WFTDA leagues, as well as MRDA and JRDA leagues. MRDA and WFTDA have worked together on developing the rules since 2014, and since 2017 have worked on
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#17328021787421804-549: Is within 10 feet of the next. Blockers must maintain the pack, but can skate freely within 20 feet behind and ahead of it, an area known as the "engagement zone". The first jammer to break through the pack earns the status of "lead jammer". A designated referee blows the whistle twice and continually points at the jammer to confer lead jammer status, which lets that jammer stop the jam at any time by repeatedly placing hands on hips. Lead jammer status cannot be transferred to other skaters, but certain actions (such as being sent to
1886-683: The Claremont Colleges roller derby team defeated Arizona State University . The website FlatTrackStats compiles ratings of WFTDA teams, adjusting them after every bout based on how the actual score compares to the predicted score. The WFTDA's own Stats Repository has comparable information and often is updated at halftime of a bout. Roller derby bouts are now streamed online, and there are archived videos of past bouts and tournaments. The WFTDA offers live streaming video of its tournaments at wftda.tv. Derby News Network offered live streaming video and archived video including events outside
1968-636: The International Olympic Committee as the official international governing body of roller sports, released its first set of Roller Derby Rules for the World Roller Games, organised by World Skate , that took place September 2017 in Nanjing, China . Most modern leagues (and their back-office volunteers) share a strong "do-it-yourself" ethic that combines athleticism with the styles of punk and camp . As of 2020 ,
2050-539: The Mississippi River announced in July 2006. In November 2008, it was announced that for the 2009 season, WFTDA member leagues would be divided into four regions, rather than two: West, South Central , North Central , and East. Each region had a tournament scheduled, followed by a national championship. A referee certification program was initiated in July 2008. Officials can work towards Skating (referee) and Non-Skating Official (NSO) certification at
2132-570: The Roller Derby "commissioner", hoped to use television to expand the live spectator base. He adapted the sport for television by developing scripted story lines and rules designed to improve television appeal, but derby's popularity had declined. 1989 saw the debut of RollerGames , an even more theatrical variant of roller derby for national audiences. It used a figure-8 track and rules adapted for this track. Bill Griffiths, Sr. served as commissioner while his son, Bill Griffiths, Jr., managed
2214-484: The Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) had 451 full member leagues and 46 apprentice leagues and the Roller Derby Coalition of Leagues (RDCL) supporting women's banked track roller derby had eight full member leagues. Contemporary roller derby has a basic set of rules, with variations reflecting the interests of a governing body 's member leagues. The summary below is based on the rules of
2296-501: The Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). In March 2010, Derby News Network said that more than 98% of roller derby competitions were conducted under WFTDA rules. For example, members of the United Kingdom Roller Derby Association are required to play by WFTDA rules, while members of the former Canadian Women's Roller Derby Association were encouraged to join the WFTDA. Roller derby
2378-469: The 15 roster players, and different selections for jammer and pivot. During each jam, players skate counterclockwise on a circuit track. Points are scored only by a team's jammer. After breaking through the pack and skating one lap to begin another "trip" through the pack, the jammer scores one point for passing any opposing blocker. The rules describe an "earned" pass; notably, the jammer must be in-bounds and upright. The jammer's first earned pass scores
2460-719: The 2020 Olympic Games. In 2009, the feature film Whip It featured roller derby and introduced a wider audience to the sport. The WFTDA encouraged leagues to coordinate with promotions during the film's release to increase awareness of the leagues. Furthermore, corporate advertising has used roller derby themes in television commercials for insurance , a breakfast cereal , and an over-the-counter analgesic . Most players in roller leagues skate under pseudonyms, also called " derby names " or "skater names". These typically use word play with satirical, mock-violent or sexual puns , alliteration , and allusions to pop culture . Referees often use derby names as well, often shown on
2542-399: The Division 1 designation was effectively set aside, and play reduced to two tournaments and teams ranked fifth through 28th, with the top four advancing directly to Championships, and another 32 teams play for Continental Cups in North America and Europe, replacing the Division 2 structure. The earliest competition structure was geographical with Eastern and Western Regions delineated by
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2624-621: The International Olympic Committee. As of 2017, FIRS has been accepted as the international rule set by the International Olympic Committee. Teams competed under the FIRS rules at the 2017 Nanjing Games. The former Canadian Women's Roller Derby Association worked with the American federation. Since 2006, the WFTDA has sponsored an annual championship . In 2008, it adopted the "Big 5" format: four regional playoffs and
2706-738: The L.A. T-Birds, who (according to the storyline) were seeking revenge on the Violators (led by Skull) for cheating in the Commissioner's Cup. The other teams included the Maniacs (led by Guru Drew), Bad Attitude (led by Ms. Georgia Hase), the Rockers (led by DJ Terringo and consisting of skaters who were also professional rock and roll musicians), and Hot Flash (led by Juan Valdez Lopez). It ran one season, because some of its syndicators went bankrupt. In 1999, TNN debuted RollerJam , which used
2788-476: The Roller Derby rules to increase skater contact. By 1939, after experimenting with different team and scoring arrangements, Seltzer's created a touring company of four pairs of teams (always billed as the local "home" team versus either New York or Chicago), with two five-person teams on the track at once, scoring points when its members lapped opponents. On November 29, 1948, before television viewership
2870-776: The Rolling Dead ( Night of the Living Dead ), Knocktoberfest ( Oktoberfest ), Spanksgiving ( Thanksgiving ), Seasons Beatings ( Seasons Greetings ), Grandma Got Run Over By a Rollergirl (" Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer "), Cinco de May-hem ( Cinco de Mayo ), and War of the Wheels ( War of the Worlds ). Roller derby is a contact sport, and injuries can occur. Superficial injuries include bruising. However, torn ligaments, broken bones, and concussions also occur. Some leagues prominently display their injuries, to embellish
2952-711: The Screaming Assault Sirens and the CBD'Viants, playing for the title of inaugural league champions. At the grand final some skaters from the Canberra Roller Derby League Canberra Roller Derby League were recruited as substitutes within the Screaming Assault Sirens as some players were out injured and one member of the Sirens was quarantined with possible swine flu. In 2010, the representative side for
3034-535: The USOC recognized USARS to participate in the 2017 Nanjing games. The largest roller derby tournament in the southern hemisphere, The Great Southern Slam , has been held biannually in Adelaide, South Australia since 2010. Women%27s Flat Track Derby Association The Women's Flat Track Derby Association ( WFTDA ) is the international governing body for the sport of women's flat track roller derby . It sets
3116-531: The United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Israel, Singapore , UAE , Egypt , Thailand, and China. In many international leagues, gear and equipment must be imported. Roller derby's contemporary resurgence has been regarded as an aspect of globalization which demonstrates "the speed with which pop culture is now transported by highly mobile expatriates and social media , while also highlighting
3198-487: The United Leagues Coalition (ULC) was an informal electronic message board through which established leagues compared notes in order to prepare for interleague play, and exchanged information to help developing leagues. The ULC evolved into a more formal organization in July 2005, when representatives of 20 leagues met in Chicago , Illinois to discuss establishing a governing body for women's flat-track roller derby. At
3280-612: The WFTDA COVID-19 Recovery Fund was announced. This fund provides microgrants to leagues or other roller derby organizations to aid recovery from the pandemic's impact. WFTDA-charter teams compete for mathematically calculated rankings, and at the end of the Competitive Season (February 1 – June 30) are seeded into postseason tournaments (WFTDA Continental Cups and International WFTDA Playoffs & Championships) based on those rankings. Each year
3362-607: The WFTDA announced it was replacing the Apprentice Program with a new New Member Program. Leadership of the organization is via an annually elected voluntary Board of Directors, consisting of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and four General Board Members. The Board appoints an Officer for each of the six Pillars: Games, Membership, Marketing, Regulatory, Technology, and Officiating. These Pillars are represented by Committees made up of WFTDA League Representatives. WFTDA employs several staff members in
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3444-657: The WFTDA are assigned a region: North America-East, North America-West, Europe, Central/South America, Asia Pacific, and Africa. Regions without a Cup are assigned to the closest region: Asia Pacific to the North America–West Cup, South America to the North America–East Cup, and Western Australia and Africa to the European Cup. The 2020 Continental Cups were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At
3526-632: The WFTDA was only open to the US , but was opened up to leagues from Canada in February 2008. In January 2009 Montreal Roller Derby became the WFTDA's 66th member league and the first Canadian league admitted as a member and was placed in the East region . That same month, the WFTDA announced it would stop accepting applications for new membership from February until July, so that it could concentrate on internal restructuring in order to, among other things, "grow
3608-503: The WFTDA's first full member league in continental Europe . In June 2013 the Rock n Roller Queens of Bogota , Colombia became the first full member South American league. The Tokyo Roller Girls and Kokeshi Roller Dolls became the first full member leagues in Asia. The WFTDA governs and promotes the sport of flat track roller derby and revolutionizes the role of women in sports through
3690-415: The WFTDA. FiveOnFive magazine covers roller derby and diverse aspects such as business, training, junior roller derby, and nutrition. The largest governing body for the sport is the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), with 397 full member leagues and 48 apprentice leagues. WFTDA membership is a major goal of aspiring leagues. Other associations support either mixed-gender or men-only derby;
3772-624: The backs of their striped uniforms. Some players claim their names represent alter egos that they adopt while skating. Whether a team should skate under real names or derby names is sometimes debated. Some derby names are obscene, a subject of some internal controversy. Copying of derby names has attracted legal and sociological analysis as an example of indigenous development of property rights. New players are encouraged to check derby names against an international roster to ensure they are not already in use. The names of roller derby events are also as sardonic and convoluted—for example, Night of
3854-462: The banked-track roller-skating marathons of the 1930s, Leo Seltzer and Damon Runyon are credited with evolving the sport to its competitive form. Professional roller derby quickly became popular; in 1940, more than 5 million spectators watched in about 50 American cities. In the ensuing decades, however, it predominantly became a form of sports entertainment , where theatrical elements overshadowed athleticism. Gratuitous showmanship largely ended with
3936-518: The changing role of women in many societies". Many roller derby leagues are amateur, self-organized and all-female and were formed in a do-it-yourself spirit by relatively new enthusiasts. In many leagues (especially in the U.S.), a punk aesthetic and/or third-wave feminist ethic is prominent. Members of fledgling leagues often practice and strategize together, regardless of team affiliation, between bouts. Most compete on flat tracks, though several leagues skate on banked tracks, with more in
4018-604: The classic rules and banked oval track, but allowed inline skates (although some skaters wore traditional quad skates). Jerry Seltzer was commissioner for this version. Roller derby began its modern revival in Austin, Texas in the early 2000s as an all-female, woman-organized amateur sport. By August 2006, there were over 135 similar leagues. Leagues outside the U.S. also began forming in 2006, and international competition soon followed. There are over 2,000 amateur leagues worldwide in countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
4100-462: The collective voice of its member leagues around the world. In November 2015, WFTDA issued a statement broadening its discrimination protections for gender identity to include transgender women, intersex women, and gender-expansive participants. A statement was issued by the Board of Directors on 17 June 2020, committing the WFTDA to becoming an actively anti-racist organization, and setting
4182-520: The early 2000s revival of roller derby was initially all-female, some leagues later introduced all-male teams and all-gender games; as of May 2013 there were over 140 junior roller derby programs in the United States, and many more around the world. College roller derby is also expanding in the United States. The University of Arizona 's Derby Cats describe themselves as the first-ever official college flat-track roller derby team. The first intercollegiate derby bout took place on March 3, 2018, when
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#17328021787424264-433: The engagement zone. Groups of blockers on the same team typically create formations, known as walls, to prevent the opposing blocker from passing. Blocking with hands, elbows, head, and feet is prohibited, as is contact above the shoulders, below mid-thigh, or to the back. Referees penalize rules violations. A player receiving a penalty is removed from play and must sit in the penalty box for 30 seconds of jam time. If
4346-684: The first Roller Derby World Championships organized by World Skate in 2017, as part of the 2017 World Roller Games USA Roller Sports (USARS) is recognized by the International Roller Sports Federation (FIRS) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the National Governing Body of competitive roller sports in the United States, including speed, figure, hockey, roller derby and slalom. WFTDA and USARS maintain
4428-475: The following requirements: Applications are reviewed twice yearly, in March and September. The Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice program was opened to aspiring member leagues in July 2009, replacing its traditional membership application process. Apprentice leagues were matched with an established WFTDA mentor league, to guide the apprentice through the processes and requirements necessary to become
4510-441: The fourth against either a Division 1 or Division 2 opponent, before June 30 of the following year. A Division 2 team needed to play a minimum of three WFTDA Sanctioned bouts, two against Division 1 or 2 opponents and the third against an opponent in any division. A Division 3 team needed to play a minimum of two WFTDA Sanctioned games against any opponents in order to maintain rankings. Division placement did not affect which playoffs
4592-407: The game's goal, which is to outscore the opposition) include the following: Tactics (deliberate conceptual tasks in support of the strategy) may include the following: WFTDA bouts are officiated by three to seven skating referees and many non-skating officials (NSOs). Volunteer leagues adapt when fewer than the optimal number of officials are present. Up to four referees skate on the inside of
4674-446: The image of violence or machismo . However, some skaters say the sport is reasonably safe if skaters take precautions. The rules require appropriate medical professionals on-site at every bout, even if not required by laws or arena regulations. The WFTDA offers insurance for leagues in the United States with legal liability and accident coverage, but it recommends that skaters also carry their own primary medical insurance. Although
4756-545: The international standards for rankings, rules, and competition in the sport, and provides guidance and resources to aid development of roller derby. The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition (ULC) , but was renamed in November 2005. It is registered in Raleigh, North Carolina as a 501(c)(6) Business League organization, a type of nonprofit organization . In 2004,
4838-402: The jam ends during this interval, the player remains in the penalty box during the subsequent jam until the interval ends. While the penalty is being served, the penalized player's team plays short-handed, as in ice hockey . A player "fouls out" of the game on the seventh penalty, and is required to return to the locker room. A "power jam", derived from ice hockey's " power play ", refers to
4920-552: The largest organization supporting male roller derby is the Men's Roller Derby Association (MRDA). Within the United States, the Junior Roller Derby Association governs play by those under 18. It modifies the WFTDA rules for minors at three skill levels, with the lowest level allowing no intentional contact between skaters, and the highest allowing full contact; additional rules are also changed according to
5002-814: The league competed against the representative side from the Canberra Roller Derby League. On 11 December 2010, the Vice City Rollers competed against the Sydney Roller Derby League's all-star team, the Assassins, in a bout at AIS Arena billed as the "Lord of the Rink: The Two Towers". In the previous meeting in Sydney between the two teams, Canberra lost by four points. In April 2013, Sydney
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#17328021787425084-542: The meeting, a voting system and set of goals was established, and a timeline delineated for facilitating interleague play. Among the actions from this meeting was the production of a standard track design, and an agreed ruleset. In early 2006, a track design and rules were published on the organization's fledgling website. In November 2005, the ULC voted to change its name to the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), with an initial membership of 22 leagues. By early 2006,
5166-618: The needs of youth skaters. Some U.S. leagues decline affiliation with a national organization because they prefer local governance. Although WFTDA has been the largest worldwide roller-derby organization, the IOC has recognized World Skate (formerly Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports ) as the only governing body able to sanction international roller derby competitions within the Olympic Movement. Disputes between World Skate and WFTDA has meant that only 4 teams were present in
5248-425: The number of Playoff tournaments. The top 36 eligible teams qualified for one of three Division 1 Playoff tournaments, with 12 teams at each, and the top four at each event advanced to WFTDA Championships. The next 16 teams (ostensibly teams ranked 37 through 52, if all met eligibility requirements and accepted their invitation) competed at a single Division 2 Playoff, which included the Division 2 championship. In 2018
5330-444: The opposing team's jammer. Play begins by blockers lining up on the track anywhere between the "jammer line" and the "pivot line" 30 feet in front. The jammers start behind the jammer line. Jams begin on a single short whistle blast, upon which both jammers and blockers may begin engaging immediately. The pack is the largest single group of blockers containing members of both teams skating in proximity, arranged such that each player
5412-418: The organization had grown to 30 leagues, a cap decided upon at the July 2005 meeting. In February that year, soon after the initial membership requirements were published (and following the fragmentation of several leagues), a "multi-league per city" clause was added. Throughout the first half of the year the clause was listed as a requirement for membership, however a statement was issued in June 2006 labelling
5494-526: The organization, as well as in its for-profit subsidiary, WFTDA Insurance (WFTDI) and its broadcast company Quad Media . On 15 August 2007, the WFTDA announced it had struck a deal with the MAVTV network to record, edit and broadcast the 2007 Eastern Regional Tournament as a weekly series of 12 one-hour episodes (one episode per bout). In December 2019, an announcement was made that the WFTDA had established Quad Media, Inc. to further their goals to promote
5576-590: The penalty box) cancel lead jammer status, meaning that the jam has no lead jammer and must continue for the full two-minute period. If the jam is not called off by the lead jammer, it ends after two minutes. If time remains in the period, teams then have 30 seconds to get on the track and line up for the next jam. If the 30-minute period ends while a jam is underway, the jam plays out to its natural conclusion. A skater may block an opponent to impede their movement or to force them out of bounds. The blocker must be upright, skating counterclockwise, in bounds, and within
5658-456: The planning stages. Each league typically features local teams in public bouts that are popular with a diverse fan base. Some venues host audiences ranging up to 7,000. Successful local leagues have formed traveling teams comprising the league's best players to compete with comparable teams from other cities and regions. In February 2012, the International Olympic Committee considered roller derby, amongst eight other sports, for inclusion in
5740-472: The policy as "unofficial". The WFTDA intimated that the policy was in place due to concerns about the impact on goodwill between member leagues of competition for support in the same city, and that having multiple leagues in the same city could undermine the organization's goals of fostering the development of the sport by sharing proprietary information by potentially limiting the sharing of competitive information. Around this time, induction of new member leagues
5822-446: The same expectation of all its partners and member leagues. This is an ongoing work plan under the auspices of the newly developed Anti-Racism Team (ART). The WFTDA in its current incarnation began as a group of 22 leagues in November 2005, born out of the United Leagues Coalition (ULC). Membership expanded to 30 leagues by early 2006, and was held at this number by a temporary pause on new memberships until September 2006. A vote in
5904-496: The same time. Training resources are provided by the WFTDA. The process involves registering as an Official with the WFTDA, completing online learning and tests, officiating an appropriate number and level of games for the level of certification, and gaining documentation of your officiating from other certified Officials. The program has three certification levels, corresponding to proven performance in officiating at different levels of gameplay: The Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby
5986-685: The scope" of the organization. In May 2009, the first sanctioned international WFTDA game was played between Montreal Roller Derby and Harrisburg Area Roller Derby at the Olympic Skating Center in Enola , Pennsylvania . Shortly thereafter, in November 2009, the WFTDA opened for worldwide membership and the London Rollergirls became the first league outside North America to join as Apprentice members. In March 2012, Bear City Roller Derby from Berlin , Germany became
6068-647: The sport of roller derby, reducing barriers to watching games and achieving excellence in the way the sport is presented. The official WFTDA magazine fiveonfive began publication in September 2008. In September 2007, the WFTDA was admitted to USA Roller Sports (USARS) as a Class V member — a national amateur roller skating organization — and a WFTDA delegate joined the USARS Board of Directors. USARS has since developed its own separate set of rules, though WFTDA leagues can play against USARS leagues and there
6150-473: The sport's grassroots revival in the first decade of the 21st century. Although roller derby retains some sports entertainment qualities such as player pseudonyms and colorful uniforms, it has abandoned scripted bouts with predetermined winners. Modern roller derby is an international sport, mostly played by amateurs. It was under consideration as a roller sport for the 2020 Summer Olympics . Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS), recognized by
6232-425: The start of 2013, the geographic regions were replaced with three divisions, each operating worldwide. However, foreseeing continued growth in membership, the WFTDA stated that future developments were likely to include new regional structures alongside the divisional system. The Division structure has now been replaced. In 2013 WFTDA changed ranking systems from a regional, poll-based format released quarterly to
6314-437: The track. In flat-track derby, up to three additional referees skate on the outside of the track. They call penalties, award points, and ensure safe game play. Referees must wear skates and typically wear white and black stripes. NSOs take up a range of positions inside and outside the track, start and time the jams, record and display scores and penalties communicated by referees, record the number of each skater on track for
6396-462: Was accepted as a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice Program. Sydney became a full member of the WFTDA in December 2014. Roller derby A 60-minute roller derby game, or bout , is a series of two-minute timed jams . Each team, typically with a roster of 15, fields five skaters during each jam: one jammer , designated with a star on their helmet, and four blockers . During each jam, players skate counterclockwise on
6478-610: Was in subsequent rankings releases. Through 2016, the top 40 leagues from the November 30 rankings were placed in Division 1 , the leagues ranked 41-100 (from 2015, those ranked 41-60) were put in Division 2 , and through 2014 all other member leagues were grouped in Division 3 . A league's division placement determined the game play minimums for their WFTDA charter team in the following year. A Division 1 team needed to play no less than four WFTDA Sanctioned games, with at least three of those games against other Division 1 opponents and
6560-481: Was put on hold until processes could be discussed at the second annual meeting, held in St. Paul , Minnesota in July 2006. At this meeting the membership application process, membership requirements and policies, rules, rankings and plans for tournaments were finalized. The WFTDA opened its doors to new members in September 2006, again capped at 30. This limit was reached by September 2008. From its inception, membership of
6642-516: Was used to refer to such races by 1922. The endurance races began to transform into the contemporary form of the sport in the mid-1930s, when promoter Leo Seltzer created the Transcontinental Roller Derby, a month-long simulation of a road race between two-person teams of professional skaters. The spectacle became a popular touring exhibition. In the late 1930s, sportswriter Damon Runyon persuaded Seltzer to change
6724-516: Was widespread, Roller Derby debuted on New York television . The broadcasts increased spectator turnout for live matches. For the 1949–1950 season, Seltzer formed the National Roller Derby League (NRDL), comprising six teams. NRDL season playoffs sold out Madison Square Garden for a week. During the late 1950s and 1960s, the sport was broadcast on several networks, but attendance declined. Jerry Seltzer (Leo's son),
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