WFTDA Announces Contracted Playoff Tournament Season for 2017

The new-look WFTDA playoffs will feature fewer teams, two fewer weekends, and less streaming video coverage. Um, yay?

The flat track playoff season will look a lot more sparse in 2017, as the WFTDA has announced a new, trimmed-down format for its year-end tournaments. The changes are significant: Three Division 1 playoff weekends instead of four. A single Division 2 combined playoff and championship weekend. Eight fewer teams will be playoff-bound, and several more will play … Continue reading WFTDA Announces Contracted Playoff Tournament Season for 2017

RDCL Jantastic Invitational 2017 Preview

Fantastic derby in January? It's Jantastic! Our overview of banked track's superteam tournament in San Diego.

One of the biggest events on the banked track calendar is happening this weekend in classy San Diego, Calif. The Jantastic Invitational will pit eight superteams against one another across two days of RDCL roller derby, thanks to hosts San Diego Derby Dolls. This is the third year of the event, and if the first two … Continue reading RDCL Jantastic Invitational 2017 Preview

FIRS Unveils 1st Edition of International Roller Derby Rules

The IOC-backed federation enters the roller derby world with a familiar set of rules, ready for use at the Roller Games this September.

The Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS), recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the official international governing body for all things roller sports, has released the first version of its rules of roller derby. They officially go into effect on January 1, 2017. The move comes ahead of the ramp-up to the organization’s first … Continue reading FIRS Unveils 1st Edition of International Roller Derby Rules

2017 Roller Derby World Cup Set for England—in 2018

The ladies of the derby world will take the stage in Manchester a few months later than originally hoped for.

The 2017 Roller Derby World Cup—now the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup—will be held in Manchester, England from February 1, 2018. This will be the first time the event is set for a location outside of North America, with the first two Cups happening in Toronto (2011) and Dallas (2014). Rainy City Roller Derby of Manchester … Continue reading 2017 Roller Derby World Cup Set for England—in 2018

MRDA Goes Fully International for 2017 Playoffs & Champs

The first expanded roller derby postseason for the boys will skip the U.S. altogether.

The MRDA has announced the dates and locations for its first set of playoff events, leading up to MRDA Champs. Get your passports ready, since the three tournaments will be held in venues not located in the United States. The 2017 MRDA Championships will be held in Cardiff, Wales, October 13-15, hosted by the South Wales … Continue reading MRDA Goes Fully International for 2017 Playoffs & Champs

WFTDA Releases Overhauled Rules Update for 2017

The rules of flat track roller derby get a complete (and overdue) teardown and rebuild for the new year.

Two years following the previous update—and an extra 24 hour delay for good measure—the WFTDA has released the updated 2017 version of its roller derby rule book. It’s a doozy! Officially, it’s the February 15, 2017 revision, the date it will go into effect for WFTDA and MRDA sanctioned play. With its ninth iteration, the … Continue reading WFTDA Releases Overhauled Rules Update for 2017

MRDA 2016 Championships Preview

Ten top men’s roller derby teams are Messin’ With Texas as they vie for the title of the MRDA’s best.

It’s the middle of October, and in the flat track roller derby world, that means it’s time for the men to take center stage at the MRDA Championships. This year’s tournament has been dubbed the Lone Star Showdown and is taking place at the home of Texas Men’s Roller Derby in the suburbs of Fort … Continue reading MRDA 2016 Championships Preview

WFTDA 2016 Division 1 Playoffs: Vancouver Gold (and Silver and Bronze)

It won't be the first time medals are handed to the winners here. Here's what color each team is aiming for.

It’s time for the second half of the WFTDA 2016 Division 1 playoffs. Following Montreal and Columbus, we’re headed back north of the border into friendly Canada, stopping in Vancouver, British Columbia for round 3 of 4. The venue for the event is very appropriate. The Richmond Olympic Oval hosted the speed skating competitions at the 2010 Winter … Continue reading WFTDA 2016 Division 1 Playoffs: Vancouver Gold (and Silver and Bronze)

WFTDA 2016 Division 1 Playoffs: Colombia or Columbia?

South Carolina or South America? Try our quiz as we review last weekend and preview 10 more playoff teams.

We’ve had a bit of a snafu. When the WFTDA announced the locations for the 2016 WFTDA international playoffs, we got all excited that one of the international playoff sites would be Colombia. Friendly locals! Damn good coffee! Ecologic diversity! Equatorial paradise! The guerrilla war! … Damn good coffee! We spent weeks preparing a preview that would incorporate wonderful … Continue reading WFTDA 2016 Division 1 Playoffs: Colombia or Columbia?

WFTDA 2016 Division 1 Playoffs: Quebec’s Language Police

Canadian law requires that our Montreal D1 preview be in both English and French. (We're not very good at French.)

Bienvenue à Montréal! The WFTDA opens its Division 1 playoff season in Canada, with Montreal Roller Derby hosting the tournament in its home city. Five countries are represented by the ten teams coming to town to play some playoff roller derby. This has us slightly concerned for their well-being. Different countries have different laws. What’s illegal in … Continue reading WFTDA 2016 Division 1 Playoffs: Quebec’s Language Police




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