How many leagues can one major city accommodate? Adelaide has a population of approximately 1 million people. It has four adult roller derby leagues and a junior league. Given that our oldest and most prominent league has a policy against growth beyond four teams it’s convenient to have other leagues to take on the rest of us derby wannabes. But what does it mean for the sport?
The L in AFL for example, stands for league. That’s one league across all of Australia with teams in major cities. There’s something about roller derby, though, that says if the teams can’t all train together in the same space then they can’t be in the same league. I’d say it all ties back into the ‘skater run, DIY’ ethos of roller derby. It’s much easier to co-ordinate and manage teams if they are co-located.
My concern is what this means for interleague bouting. If we wanted to play the best of Vic against the best of SA, for example, would we just take the best players from the best league? Some of the best players from the second best league might be worthy of the team but miss out. Or do we hold state try outs and end up with a team that is weakened by having players who’ve never played together before?
All this came to the fore when I found out that someone is investigating founding a fifth adult league in Adelaide. The woman who is allegedly starting this new league was asked to leave her last league amidst a furore surrounding the financials of that league. This brings me to another concern. If someone does something so offensive as to be asked to leave a league, is it fair for them to simply start another and potentially weaken the status of derby in that state?
What’s your city’s population and how many leagues does it support? How does it combat the weaknesses of having multiple leagues? If it manages to have just one, how does it sustain this in the face of fractures, dissent and expulsion?
Outrajess edi
February 27, 2012
I think we already have too many league in Adelaide and another one would definatly be a bad thing for the sport.
Also the person’s past league history is a major concern =\
joelcphotography
February 27, 2012
When I played roller hockey at the height of it’s popularity there was about 5-8 leagues state-wide. Each league with 5-10 teams, the teams were smaller though (10 players each team). Each league was based at its own rec centre.
The state-team was made up of players from all leagues and had special training sessions to prepare for national comps. Although SA never really had any success I think the process worked well – it was just that NSW and VIC were much stronger sides.
So yeah, given the popularity of roller derby continues to rise, and the new leagues don’t have ambitions to be the next massive public bout ADRD style league, I think there’s room for more
Eve Yllanside
February 27, 2012
So, given derby teams are twice as big perhaps SA can safely accommodate 3-4 leagues with 3-5 teams in each. Or was your argument of ‘the more the merrier’ persuasion?
joelcphotography
February 27, 2012
I think my argument was supply and demand. If there’s enough willing derby players I can’t see the harm in having more leagues. Its a bit sad when girl’s miss out on passing fresh meat – there should be a league for everyone’s level. I see a lot of potential for a social league who does weekly bouts (non-public of-course)..
Nicole
February 27, 2012
Wow, there are 4 adult leagues in little old Adelaide?? I only know of 2 (ADRD & MCRG)… who/what are the other 2? : )
Maybe it could be set up like SANFL? Cos that seems to be working real well… ; )
Eve Yllanside
February 27, 2012
Lol
The other two are Gawler and Light City (Light City is mixed gender). I’ve been told there’s a southern league too but couldn’t find any sign of it do didn’t include it in my count
Nicole
February 27, 2012
Ah, that’d be right! It does seem (to someone living in the south-west) that a lot of the action is happening to the north (maybe north-west) of town… is that a function of where the facilities are, or just where the most motivated derby women reside (or both or other)? : )
Anyway, from a simple geographic perspective a southern league could make sense…?
Eve Yllanside
February 27, 2012
You know what, I have no idea why they’re all northside. Perhaps if they’re formed by disgruntled former members then they tend to stay in the same region? That’s assuming they’re formed by disgruntled former members and I don’t have a strong grasp on the history of any of the leagues so I may be way off base
Em
February 27, 2012
I usually tend to forget about the Adelaide leagues besides ADRD, because they aren’t at public bouting level. It kinda seems to me that ADRD is the only league that is accessable to fans. The others are quite closed off and it seems you have to either know someone or be in the leugue yourself to get any info.
Eve, is MCRG nearly at public bouting level?
Eve Yllanside
February 27, 2012
As far as I know MCRG will be having a public bout sometime before June
keep an eye on the MCRG FB page for specific info
scratchr
February 27, 2012
It appears to me that there may be many other leagues being formed in S.A and i believe it is something that other leagues shouldn’t have issues with and they should be more supportive. Eve, you have made a blog that you are not sure is correct which means its speculation. My personal belief is that other leagues shouldn’t use slandering ways to make excuses for there not being the apparent new league in Adelaide. What can make you so so strong on talking about an issue and ex-member of your league doing this? And if so, why would it be any concern or a league be made in spite due to what this person has done? Im confused on why you would make claims about an ex member of MCRG,even if true, but how do you know it is this person starting a league or skate group? Why would it be a bad thing? And more importantly, how do you know you are not spreading rumours of a new league with the wrong information? Im not saying that your old friend who got kicked out of MCRG(as claimed by you) is starting a league,but who cares. Its a sport that we all love and enjoy as participators and watchers so i think,as my own opinion,that Adelaide needs more leagues.
Anon
February 28, 2012
Hey Fang Bang, I notice that the post neither mentions ADRD or MCRG but you seem to know a lot about this topic. Do you have further information you would like to share?
Outrajess edi
February 28, 2012
Wonder what this fang bang person knows? She appears to know more than eve! Sadly her writting skills aren’t as good as Eve’s and her comment is some what confusing. Espcially when she says ( as claimed by you) when Eve had written no such thing.
emjayzed
February 28, 2012
I think this post is very interesting. It is highlighting the current state of affairs surrounding local roller derby and your views on it. I believe you are more than entitled to express your opinion in this forum as, in Australia, we support freedom of speech. In addition, I think your post is extremely articulate – you’ve demonstrated your intelligence, thoughtfulness and respect toward roller derby, it’s players and leagues.
I also love that it has encouraged open discussion on the topic – it is good to be able share knowledge and learn from each others experiences. I only wish some of the respondents would articulate themselves as clearly as you have…
rollerderbylives
February 28, 2012
Perhaps we need to think of it in a different way- it sounds like you are thinking in an ‘us vs them’ mindset, like more leagues would be bad for you. How exactly could it be bad? Yes venues are already tight, but derby girls are creative! If there is a will, there is a way. More leagues means more exposure for the sport we love. The more leagues that succeed in Adelaide, the more challenges and competition sitting on your doorstep.
I think one reason roller derby has advanced so fast in the US is because of the volume of leagues near each other. Competition fosters advancement; it forces skaters outside their comfort zone to try the newest move or do that extra hour of training.
One league will never suit every person. More leagues = diverse options.
On the North Western suburb league front, I think the concentration out there is purely because of the limited venue options in Adelaide. There are venues in other areas, but whether the skaters are there is another question.
I think that airing the dirty laundry of MCRG publicly on the internet was an interesting move, one which may backfire in the long run. Each to their own.
derbygirl
March 1, 2012
rollerderbylives, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Adelaide and SA in general has relatively few leagues compared to some other cities/states. We are also so isolated here that we don’t get to play other leagues as often or as easily as a league on the east coast. The more the merrier!
Especially when each league offers something different (co-ed, junior, somewhere closer to home, different skill levels for people to join in at, different goals or commitment levels).
More leagues at a public bouting level would mean more bouts for the public to go watch, more bouts for players from other leagues to go watch (woo! being a spectator!), more inter-league bouts (double woo!), and more opportunities for those just getting into the sport. All good things!
Derby’s structure works different to other sports, so you can’t really compare, and I doubt we’ll have state teams anytime soon. Similarly with any kind of overarching national/regional “league” or association. In practice, a roller derby league is more like a big multi-team team, especially with more and more inter-league play going on.
League politics and splits are always best left in private, and you can’t stop someone from starting a league. At the same time no league should feel threatened by another starting up, instead feel excited that there’ll be even more derby lovers in Adelaide, and that you might have more people to play against. Derby is growing and it’s a good thing.
Emma
March 1, 2012
I had to go back and re-read the article!! I couldn’t find anything about MCRG and dirty laundry anywhere!
akka
March 1, 2012
I agree with Emma, I just had to go back and re-read the article. There is no mention of MCRG being the league this person was asked to leave… so potentially if you do know who this article is “allegedly” talking about, you, yourself, have just aired the dirty laundry in your comment.
Eve is asking a lot of questions to garnish YOUR opinions on this topic. There is no statement to say these are her hard and fast views on such things. The only real opinion of hers seems to stem from a concern of what it might mean for interleague bouting – using the AFL as an example for specifically interstate bouts.
I’m living in Melbourne (with a population of 4 million – 4 times that of Adelaide!). There are 14 leagues across the State, spread out over metro Melbourne to outer suburbs and a few country towns. My new league is not big enough yet to have teams within their league to bout against. So they have a travel team that plays against their sister league in a town 2 hours away. This idea of having smaller leagues start up and focus on pulling one strong team together (because there are opportunities to bout with other leagues), is definitely a positive thing. This way you do have some leagues that are at the same skill level to be able to bout against, as they too are newer leagues, and you are all growing at the same speed.
I don’t believe it’s a bad thing for more leagues to be starting up in Adelaide. If it gets more girls skating, it’s a good thing. More derby players and teams, might eventually foster interleague bouts as it does here in VIC. I would only hope that ANY new league starting up had derby in their best interest and any past mistakes would not be repeated.
Bear Grylled
March 4, 2012
One issue so far that I have experienced recently is the situation where Derby Leagues have open and good relationships. It allows for interleague practice scrimmage and Referees from both leagues working together to grow the league and the sport.
However there appears to be some situations where offers are made from one league to another and the hand is offered for support/ coaching/ refereeing etc but the league would choose not to pass info on to skaters and ‘filter’ information, or ‘block’ individuals.
This is there choice also… but isnt that rejection not helping the skaters or the leagues grow, and I refer to both the skaters offering the support and those its offered to?
So as long as the relationships are open I only see them as being fruitful. Even though we all play the sport, sometimes we just cant play together and share the toys….
scratchr
March 8, 2012
To all concerned, the reason i know alot is because this is adelaide,i read blogs,pages etc and you are wrong in assuming that i am the ex member or any member of a league in S.A.
I see great potential for more leagues in S.A as there is high demand. Excuse me if people talk too much but what league eve comes from and her concerns about a new league is quite public.
Everyone has a right to enjoy roller derby and just because thay were asked to leave does not ruin that enjoyment and wanting to play the sport. There has been talks and whispers of more leagues opening in S.A and i don’t see why there should be any problems with the opening of a new league/s
scratchr
March 8, 2012
And yes, emma talks of an ex member being asked to leave the league and we all know adelaide is word of mouth. This is Adelaide. I don’t know much more but as far as i know there is a group of people who wish to skate in a happy and friendly environment and they have every right to just skate or become a league etc. It should be supported.
Hmm
April 19, 2012
I live in NSW and off the top of my head there are leagues in Byron Bay, two on the border of NSW/QLD, Clarence Valley, Port Mac, Orange, Newcastle, two in Central Coast, Hawkesbury, Macarther, South West Syd, Western Syd, Sydney, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and prob tonnes of others I can’t think of. We co-exist through Eastern Region Roller Derby, a group of leagues who plan events and host tournaments and assist thef development of skaters. It is good to have more leagues, though personally reasonable to question someone’s reputation. There are quite a few people who seem to have a reputation for starting a new league around the world everytime they have grief and this isn’t good for the long term, unless people join that league and run with it.