Information on the show

[mick]

When can we expect some confirmed info on this new show?

At the moment the forums here are mostly discussion about past incarnations of rollerderby/rollergames/rollerjam

expect for a few "rumour mill" posts.... there's no real info on the new show

when can we expect to hear something?

[mick]

i'm going to be that last to know? heh heh thats funny

i'm not an enemy of the new show... i dont even know what it'll be like
doesnt make sense to not like something that doesnt exist yet

so... if it's all moving along in an exciting way... why isnt info being given on the official website?

[Grand Poobah]

The answers to that are fairly obvious, and the same as the answer about the platform mystery in the other silly thread.

If the league I work with were in the process of negotiating a new deal with whomever, would we want to talk about it now, or wait till everything's firmed up? Would we announce to our fans, "Hey, we're trying to book an interleague bout with the Nickname City Rollergirls, because they seem to be overranked and we can take 'em"? Of course not.

This site is designed to gather the interested folks, get a feel for what they want to see (or don't, ala gator tanks) and drive interest towards the eventual appearance of the show. I don't see anything nefarious, sketchy, nor suspicious about doing that.

[mick]

right... hence the original question of when we might expect to hear something

surely there exists some type of timeline?

[Grand Poobah]

And now it's a year and three months later.

[Tom]

It all comes down to how successfull 'Whip It' is. Thats the only way investors will spend the money that Dave Sams wants for his' grandeur' show. It's not the movie thats on trial, but the name 'roller derby'. If the film's wildly successfull, then it's probably going to be full speed ahead becasue everyone wants to get in on it. If the film 'bombs', then the rollergames version is pretty much history, or at least still in the hands of the incompetence and aging 'family'.
Unfortunatly, indications are showing that it's not doing good.On yahoo's front page' presently only about 110 people have bothered rating it. But by Sunday, about 1pm central(when the weekened box office figures come out), we're know where roller derby is heading(big time TV, or stay the cult alt-sport that it is now)

[Father James]

Kind of sad how a possible tv show's fate is on how a movie turns out. I am hoping whip it does good. Heck I am hoping it does freaking awesome. Just cuz I said so.




Mess with the best.. Get a face full of rail.

[Grand Poobah]

Ah, investors. When I read that word in reference to roller derby my brain translates it to "suckers." Or wishful wannabes with money to burn. A lot fewer of them nowadays, particularly in a dicey business market. A few more popping up here and there with the movie coming out.

Here's a piece a guy wrote on roller derby investors back in 2004.

The leagues that have survived before and since seem to have had made it on their own dime.

I'm not sweating how the movie does. It'll give the sport another boost (and a bigger one) than "Rollergirls" gave it. Fanbase grows, more skaters want to take up the sport. Win, win, win.

"Rollergirls" was canceled for sub-par ratings. Though it seems like every third woman who watched it started a league of her own. Nowadays there's already leagues in most metropolitan areas, more could pop up where there currently aren't any, and leagues should see a boost in recruitment and attendance.

I'm skeptical whether Sams is any more likely to set up a permanent practice/training center wherever he'd decide to shoot the show than Dan appears to be. Additionally, today's younger derby skaters by and large aren't likely to want to skate on a show they don't own and control. What little of his past work they've seen on the web isn't really up their alley.

[Father James]

I want to know as well. Because honestly if this is turning into what it was when this site was owned by someone else. I will be disgusted and have to remember Marco's words. And honestly I am hoping I am wrong. Because I don't want to see everyone's hopes up and then smashed into the ground.

[Father James]

True enough. I really truly want this to happen. I just need to know. Besides the fact I am spreading word around to everyone I know. What else sould I do? I want to be a part of the solution.

[Father James]

Thanks Matthew. Believe me. I'll be ready. For a chance like this would be great.

[Tom]

Tim,
In responce to "that is a REAL poor turn out"(for this site)
I guess we could advo this site more on the message boards at various yahoo & myspace clubs, and even at youtube(where your the absolute king!), and get hundreds , perhaps thousands more. But I think it's importened for the TV execs to know that there is'nt a ton of dedicated fans out there, esecially when the sport has been so dormant from regular showing on TV over the last few decades.
When they think roller derby, immediatley the TV execs think about the aprox 10 million people that tuned in during the early 70's. But father time can be unkind, and whether it was Rollerjam or the A&E show, or even the wftda version over at mavtv, obviously those 10 mill never comeback.
Thats why it be best if the TV execs understand not to have high expectations this time around. Instead it would work better if Sams final product was'nt all glitz and glamour(like R'N'R games) but more low key, low budget, but still a very high quality that would product at first an obvious small fan base, but one that would grow in leaps and bounds.
What I like about David Sams is he's trying to get the best talent available. With the likes of Mayhemily, Rainbow Rage, and Crybaby, he's recruited some of the most talented & marketable rollergirls out there. Sprinkle that with a few oldies but goodies vets & the very best Rollerjam skaters returning, I think we've conjured up a sure fire recipe for success.
I think John Hall said it too, but given the right time and place, Denise Loden had the ability to become the greatest roller derby skater ever!(and she has just joined this site).
What I think might work too in coaxing TV exexcs, is taking a step beyond the audition tapes, and filming for instance, a no holds barred match race between perhaps Stacey Blitch and Mayhemily? Think of the heat & excitment these 2 phenom skaters would generate on the track? I can't talk for Stacey, but most probably Mayhemily be game for it.
I also like to see the rd community(la & sf) extent a welcome the Lonestar Rollergirls of Texas. Until proven otherwise, the Putas(yes, the infamous Putas!) have shown that they'll the best damn female banked track skating team in the world!

So in retrospect, the fans will come, once it gets on TV
and sorry about not mentioning male skaters, but my expertise tends to be on the female side(as the Grand Poopah would surely attest to that fact!)

[Tim Patten]

You said a mouthful. The derby/games community is very small. I hope that fact is not a negative to any executive. It says that the executive's money will be directed towards quite a bit of PR targeted toward the viewer demographic.

When Seltzer saw the dollars behind the Roller Jam marketing machine, he called me to express how he was certain a road tour would result based on the PR plan and dollars for the TNN TV show.

To me, this is all exciting. I've been managing the PR, roller derby projects, events, skaters since 1988. I've made a lot of mistakes. I've worked with many TV executives who also made mistakes. And.. along the way some PR efforts have found an audience. That's when it's satisfying.. when you "connect" with viewers/fans... there is nothing else like that feeling.