March 29, 2010
AUSTIN, TX – Today the Women’s Flat Derby Association (WFTDA) announces the results of its first-ever comprehensive demographic survey of modern roller derby fans and athletes.
The survey was conducted online over the course of four weeks.
More than 3,200 current skaters and 4,800 fans participated to build a rich profile of the sport’s new fan base.
Women’s roller derby has thrived for the last decade as an ‘alternative’ sport, prospering outside the mainstream world of big-time athletics. Roller derby leagues around the world have flourished under skater management, who used DIY (“do it yourself”) techniques and volunteer labor to turn roller derby into “the goliath of underground athletics because it challenges the status quo of American sports.”
The WFTDA, the governing body for women’s flat track roller derby, took on the challenge of profiling the diverse network of fans, skaters, and volunteers who make up the modern roller derby demographic. “Our 2010 demographic survey indicates that roller derby fans and skaters are highly loyal to their new favorite sport and come from all walks of life,” said Juliana Gonzales, WFTDA Executive Director. “This survey also reveals alternate interests within our sporting community, allowing us to target promotional partners. The results of this survey prepare the WFTDA and its individual member leagues to develop marketing and sponsorship opportunities for our emerging extreme team sport.”
The survey design allows the WFTDA’s local member leagues to break out and analyze the demographics of their own local audience and then use these figures to pursue appropriate local marketing and sponsorship partnerships.
Roller derby’s unique amateur sports model has fostered an explosion in the sport’s global popularity; currently there are more than 450 leagues in 11 countries worldwide.
Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.