If you crave violence, enjoy slightly unconventional sports, and appreciate a festive atmosphere, spend a Saturday night at a roller derby match.
Roller derby is booming in New Zealand. Recent movies such as Whip It and Dodgeball have explicitly boosted the profile of unconventional sports and roller derby.
The rules are simple. Roller derby involves a team of five members of two groups competing against each other. One team member is a jammer, while the remaining four are blockers. The jammers must get through the other team’s blocks. The jammers race each other to be the first to pass all of the other team’s blockers, and then for each subsequent time a jammer gets past a blocker from the other team, a point is scored.
Blockers can only use their bodies to block the jammers. Blockers cannot punch, push, trip, or intentionally knock jammers out of the way. However, the fun part is watching the carnage as jammers and blockers trip over each other in their efforts to fulfill their functions.
Roller Derby is Unintentionally Violent
Roller derby is particularly exciting for anyone who craves a little competitive violence. As jammers attempt to move past blockers, they either succeed or don’t. When they don’t, they are either pushed outside the bounds of the game – often into spectators, are pushed back and forced to try again, or trip and fall.
Roller derby is one game where it’s ok for a team to gang up on the other. The blockers effectually band together to prevent the jammer of the opposite team from getting past. It’s exciting when the gang succeeds, but it’s also exciting when they fail. It’s particularly entertaining to watch girls competing because it’s not often that one gets to watch girls be aggressive in a situation where body contact is encouraged.
Mesmerizing Crowds at Roller Derby Matches
As a sports fan, I’ve been to two roller derby matches in my short history. And one thing that stands out in the crowd is the crowd. If the spectators in the U.S are anything like the spectators in New Zealand, You’ll like the group as much as the roller derby.
Spectators get behind their favorite teams by dressing up but not in the usual way. Instead, fans wear colorful wigs, joke glasses, tutus, fishnet stockings, and unusual and eccentric outfits. If you are a closet deviant, you can dress up or down to your heart’s delight because you will blend in with this crowd.
Festivities at the Roller Derby
The roller derby appeals to singles, couples, first dates, and families—no need to worry about rival teams fighting. The New Zealand roller derby league teams all appear to be very friendly before and after the games.
In New Zealand, alcohol is offered during sporting events. If you don’t fancy waiting in line at the bar, you can wait until the drinks cooler comes around during the games.
There is likely to be a band that plays at halftime at finals matches. When the band isn’t playing, 50’s rock’n’roll music seems to be the jukebox order of the day. It is a refreshing break from the modern music that is more common at conventional sporting events.
Talented jammers at roller derby rack up vast numbers of fans. So after the game, it’s expected, at least in New Zealand, for both players and spectators to mingle and get photos taken together.
Roller Derby is a Fun Saturday Night Activity
If you’re searching for something unusual to do on Saturday night, find your local roller derby fight. It’s a fun, celebratory sport that’s wonderful for spectators.
