Hola Maehym here,
SkateCourt may be the best investment your league could ever make. I know I am partial because I am the rep but I want to go through the numbers to explain my case.
Why go from rink to renting a bouting arena/facility? Portable flooring allows your league to skate in a facility larger than a rink whose capacity is between 300-500ppl at $10 a ticket equals $5,000 in gross ticket sales. With hard work on the promoting end, you can pack the venue with 2,000-5,000 fans at $10 a ticket equals $20,000 to $50,000. It will cost more money to rent the venue, but even if the venue is $5,000 to $10,000 a bout(which is mega high btw). With 3-6 home bouts your team is well on its way to paying for the floor as well as being financially secure.
Renting out a venue means your league has more control over the residual income made at the bout?
My former league LowCountry Highrollers are one of the best in the country at sponsorship and bout production, this being a big reason. When fans come to derby games, they are there not only to watch some derby but also to support your league. Residual bout income is not only merch but also anything else you team can come up with,
Some awesome ideas for residual bout income
-Fav Derby Girl Jars- take pics of all skaters(and refs too) and place the pics on the jars. Have the table set out in the entrance when all the fans come in and have the annoucer talk up the crowd to come and donate to your jar. At half time, the jars are counted. The skater with the most money in their jar is the king or queen of the bout. All the money goes back to the league, you may make $100-1000 but it is a really easy inexpensive way to fund more training or whatever your league may need.
-Half Time Contests- There are many ways to do this but the main focus is to get everyone involved. My fav idea for this is from Jersey Shore Roller Girls. It cost about $300 for the supplies but can make a bundle. Its called Chuck a Duck, Your league orders about 200-500 rubber duckies from a party catalogue, number the ducks 1 through however many you have. You can have a party and have your league paint the ducks all crazy is you want to get saucey with it. At the bout, you will sell the duck one for $3 and two for $5. You also have a giant tarp that is painted with a bulls-eye in the center. Roll the tarp out at half time, everyone comes and throws their ducks and the ducks closest to the target get a prize(that was donated by your sponsors). Its a way to keep the kids moving and tucker them out as well as make a lil money.
-Face Painting- self explanatory but at $5 a kids it starts adding up.
-Bake Sales during the bout-self explainatory, but $750-$1000 per bout is nothing to sneeze at
Larger venues mean you have more space to sell advertising and hang sponsorship banners
Your league now has more of a "sellable" appeal because your league is able to have 2,000 to 5,000 fans gather in one place. You have more to offer sponsors because now their company will be seen by more people.
Sell the floor space as advertising
WFTDA does is with Dr Hauschka, you can get a large vinyl decal and has it as a perk for large sponsors like Pepsi or another company that has the $$$ to invest in a fantastic revolutionary sport!!!
Rent the track out to other leagues
The floor normally leases or rents for $1,000-$2,000 per event/night and the renter pays for transport to and from where the floor is housed. If your league leases the floor out 20 times in 3 years, the renting fee has already paid for the floor.
SkateCourt holds its value well
Re-sale value of used floors is incredible and they hold up for 15-20yrs
How the FU&K does our league afford the SkateCourt in 1st place?
This one Im good at, I am a fundraising guru. Im actually going to school for this hehehehe.Please contact me directly and I will work with your league for fundraising,sponsorship and grant research. THIS IS WHAT I DO BEST besides skate. RandiMaehym@SkateCourt.com, call me anytime, only time not available is when Im on the track and Ill call you back.
Please contact me if you want more info. Heres a link to our site for technical info http://www.icecourt.com/skate_floor.html
Hugs,Slugs and DerbyLuv
Randi Maehym
Head of Sponsorship,Denver Roller Dolls
Roller derby rep for skateCourt
The life and times of Randi Maehym, roller derby girl working for SkateCourt, interacting with teams all over the country along with the challenges and triumphs of being in love with the game and culture of roller derby
