WOMEN’S FLAT TRACK ROLLER DERBY MAGAZINE ISSUE 26, WINTER 2014
proud partner of the WFTDA
fiveonfivemag.com
fiveonfive contents 34-36
4-5 advice
ask ms d’fiant and suzy hotrod!
WFTDA WFTDA and MRDA explore a collaboration that will extend beyond a shared rule set. Vile Love It explains what that means for both organizations.
6-9 business bylaws by the skater, for the...?
10-15 health and fitness 16-28 games and coaching
Eric Korn
the magic stick core
48-49 Bout Braids
2014 WFTDA championships recap order of operations: assists part 2 opening jam strategies
Looking for a new way to tame your mane during bouts? Cat Owta Hell provides tutorials for several bout day braids.
30-32 gear foot pain management
38-39 junior derby
52-53
Ann Richards Roller Girls
Skating without a Rink
42-47 rookie
Southern Oregon Roller Girls find a creative space to skate after their local rink closes, proving that all you need is an open space and determination to make it work.
56-58 international derby 60-63 art and media
SWS Rockets Roller Derby League
start-up leagues: first year setup newbies and muscle conditioning
business
by the skater for the... ? BOB NOXIOUS, BREWCITY BRUISERS
How would you finish that statement? The natural answer is, “By the skater for the skater.” Certainly, early on, this was roller derby’s motto. The idea was to keep the sport in the hands of those who had built it. But, a decade later, has it gone too far? Skaters create the rules and decide if they like or don’t like the game’s play, and if production isn’t considered a big deal, where does catering to the fan come in? A number of skaters LOVE the mental challenge of the current rule set, and downplay the production aspect of the sport, but have YOU looked at the effect it has on your customers; your fans? the honeymoon period has ended For nearly ten years, we had amazing crowds with little marketing. We were a viable entertainment option! So why, in the last few years, have so many leagues fought their budgets, often lost money, or afraid of losing venues, due to decreased income and higher travel expenses? Because the answer has to become “By the skater for the fan.” If Rat City’s use of crowdfunding to save their practice facility wasn’t the wakeup call of all wakeup calls (remember, they likely held the single game attendance record three years ago), it should be. A bit of history. Believe me, the most significant increases in derby’s fan attendance and new skater interest came during the sport’s honeymoon period, which is over. At first, it was A&E’s series Rollergirls that produced a sudden change in the public’s interest. Plus, news outlets constantly wanted stories for the first few years of each league as we were the “hot item” in town. Then, the significance of both the theatrical and DVD release of Whip It far exceeded expectations. Four years ago, still, new leagues were opening to crowds of over 1500 in a number of cases. That moment is gone and isn’t likely to return without a lot of work. Today, our growth is totally on us. proper understanding of business acumen is crucial My role announcing and as a business resource to leagues has shown announcing is not nearly as important as business contributions. Not when consistent messages with “Help!” in the subject line are becoming plentiful. I’ve always been in this for all of you. I’ve cut my mic time considerably to focus on teaching better business practices. My pedigree, a BA in Business Management, followed by years running department 8 | Winter 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com
stores, is important. Being in charge of budgets, marketing, and personnel issues for stores that produced millions of dollars annually, I was accountable to superiors daily when sales trends were up or down. Do I get the stress, thinking on your feet, and analysis of business? My career survival depended on it. by the skater for the fan I sound like a broken record, but remember, once you sell tickets, you are a business. There is not a threat of losing your ability to control your leagues. They are YOURS. The company is yours. It’s time to look at fans as customers. Like any business, there are many decisions to be made in order to make a profit. The ONLY ways profit increases is to grow your fan-base, sell more merchandise, or charge higher prices (which could backfire), increase fundraising, or lower expenses. Other than growing your fan base and eliminating less important expenses, the rest is hard to imagine. So, if things are a struggle, what will it be? Putting on a show the fans like? “By the skater, for the fan?” I should hope so. Unless you don’t mind playing for fun behind closed doors, either adapt your production, your outreach for ticket sales, or give them a night to remember, because many are obviously not. fan retention The new word that’s being heard as much as ticket sales is fan retention. The idea that even if we pull in a fair number of fans, why are so many not returning? There is a disconnect between what you offer and what fans hoped for. I can give you solid ideas on how to better increase the fans coming through the door, but if they’re only coming once, your pool of new fans continually gets smaller. Here’s an exercise for you. Have someone use the panoramic option on their phone’s camera to take a photo at the beginning of the night, then after each halftime, and at the night’s conclusion. Many need a visual to understand. This provides it. I’d recommend having someone at the exit doors at the first halftime, and also afterward, and ask why they are leaving. Don’t let them off easy, or you don’t learn anything. Ask them why they are leaving, if they understood the game, if they enjoyed the game, and let them know it’s OK to not just provide the polite answers. Be proactive!
Jules Doyle
so, what are you going to do? Change how you play? First, it’s not WFTDA’s fault for the speed of the game and the way it’s being played. They made revisions to try to better define the game and it only takes one coach to find loopholes that everyone seems to follow. Yes, the passive offense, though you may like it, is so confusing to fans. As an announcer, I have the best seat in the house. My job is to explain what is happening and to do it succinctly. It’s nearly impossible, in a few sentences, to explain why they can stop, the theory of pack destruction, and reformation. I know people are confused, as they approach at halftimes fairly often to ask. That’s only part of it. As a guy who is a fan of the sport, it’s so hard to watch and enjoy. It has a strategic place in the game, but it’s so often played without reason. You have to decide if this stops or not. If you are unsanctioned, play the game you want to. If you are, use it sporadically, when it makes sense. If you hate it, let your WFTDA representatives know.
make the night memorable Don’t kill production value, make it better. Have a fun opening for the teams or videos that can run on screens or jumbotrons. Keep skaters accessible to fans. Have autograph tables on the way in and way out so fans, especially kids, have access to their heroes. Make each half-time short, but memorable with great acts or contests. Make the entire night enjoyable. Nobody wants teams to experience issues that leave them in financial trouble or constant worry that every bout has to be “the one.” You have ways to help prevent this. The answer is giving fans what they want, making it consistent, selling more tickets, and getting them to return. Bob, who works for Brown Paper Tickets, has begun a bi-weekly Business Tips program published in his blog on the Brown Paper tickets site. The success, as far as readership, has been overwhelming. To learn how to sell more tickets effectively, recruiting techniques, the holiday boon, and more, simply find them all at community.brownpapertickets.com/wp/category/roller-derby/
fiveonfivemag.com | Winter 2014 | 9
games and coaching Two jams later, it was a one-point game favoring Gotham at 36-35 when a crowd-pleasing jam saw incredibly slow defense from both teams locking down on Bonnie Thunders and Licker N Split, resulting in an extremely rare full-length jam in which neither jammer got lead and the pack failed to make a full lap around the track. A penalty to Licker near the very end opened the door for Gotham to open a 14-point lead over the next couple of jams at 49-35. That was Gotham’s biggest advantage of the first half, though, and it wouldn’t survive until the break – after a couple of lead changes in the final 5 minutes of the half, Rose City was up 64-58 at halftime, marking the only time 4-time champions Gotham had trailed at the midpoint of the WFTDA final. A very strong opening for Gotham in the second half saw them immediately retake the lead and go on a 47-4 run in just the first four jams, changing the score to 105-68. That 37-point lead was the largest either team would hold in the game, but it took Rose City almost the rest of the game to erase it. Yet again, Rose City’s Loren Mutch proved herself to be deadly on power jam, taking advantage of a Suzy Hotrod forearm to rack a much needed 18-0 for Rose and close the gap to 105-86. Just two jams later, Gotham handed Rose another power jam when Vicious Van Go Go fell in front of Rose City blocker Jes Rivas and tried to get a little too creative by attempting to crawl out between Rivas’ legs – she got a low block for her trouble, and Mutch got a 10-0 on the other side of the power jam, making it a 10 point game at 106-96 Gotham with about 18 minutes left in the game. Gotham was able to hold off the Rose advance a little bit longer, but Rose City finally caught them with 6:37 to play on a 3-0 for the ubiquitous Loren Mutch – that one tied the game at 123, and set up a final series for the ages.
Bob Ayers
20 | Winter 2014 | fiveonfivemag.com
It kicked off with Suzy Hotrod scoring 4-0 over Scald Eagle to put Gotham back in the lead, but Loren Mutch answered with 8-0 over Bonnie Thunders to give Rose City the lead for the first time in the half, 131127, with 3:46 left to play at the beginning of the next jam. When Scald Eagle took lead over Gotham’s Suzy Hotrod on the next frame and lapped her twice, it looked like Rose City was on the verge of finally stopping Gotham’s streak – but after getting knocked out of bounds by a falling Sexy Slaydie, Scald hopped back onto the track just barely in front of a runback by Mick Swagger. That sent Scald to the box on a track cut, and gave Suzy enough time to get some points in a 13-5 jam for Rose City. Rose City tried to use their official review to get Scald out of the box, but got no satisfaction, leaving the situation at Rose City up 144-132, 1:43 left on the period clock and Bonnie Thunders on the line for Gotham. In a grim irony for Rose City fans, that 12-point lead was the largest Rose City had held in the bout so far – but it wouldn’t be enough to hold up for one more jam. Though Thunders started on power jam, she didn’t get lead jammer until Scald was released from the box, meaning Gotham’s defense of OMG WTF, Sexy Slaydie, Mick Swagger and Violet Knockout had to hold Scald long enough for Bonnie to pick up laps – which they just barely did, as OMG WTF caught Scald at the very top of the pack and Slaydie came in for a gamesaving knockdown that ended up being Slaydie’s 7th penalty of the game, leaving her fouling out with Swagger. Meanwhile, Rose City lost all but one of their blockers to the box trying to hold back Bonnie, and after taking the lead back Bonnie was able to go to jammer defense on Scald away from the pack, draining away the remainder of the period clock before Scald could get back in scoring position – critical, since Gotham only had one blocker left in the pack. When Bonnie called the jam on the period clock’s expiration, she had 15-0 – and Gotham’s 4th championship in a row with a 147-144 comeback win.