Roller Derby Participant Observation

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Rolling with the Punches Rubber squeaked, the crowd went wild, and women decked out in pads, helmets and grim looks took off at frightening speeds. This was my first impression of the Texas Roller Derby girls. On October 1st, I attended the roller derby playoffs at the Palmer Event Center. I had heard that this was a must see if you lived in Austin so I decided to attend the Cherry Bombs vs. the Putas del Fuego match for my Participant Observation project. Surprisingly, one of the most shocking things about the event was the crowd. I thought I would feel completely out of place and stick out, but that was not the case. The stadium was filled with college students, families, young kids, elderly, wholesome-looking couples and the heavily tattooed. Needless to say, the crowd was an incredibly diverse mix of people. From talking to a few people in attendance I gathered that people came from all over Texas to watch this bout. A bout consists of two 30-minute periods made up of a number of “jams” that can last up to two minutes. I was surprised to see that the number of women there outnumbered men in attendance. This may be because it was empowering to see the strength, tenacity and talent these roller girls displayed. A visitor profile would look something like people 21-35 years of age, who seek the more alternative when it comes to music and entertainment. Also, it attracts people who tend to be more adventurous and are probably not easily offended. But again, because of roller derby’s growing attention, it appeals to many different age groups. Marketing for roller derby, at least in Austin, is done primarily through local businesses. I have seen flyers for roller derby in various restaurants like Kerbey Lane, and pinned up on UT’s campus. Even though there were a lot of women at the bout, it seems that posters are usually geared towards a male demographic. As most

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