History
Endurance to Contact
Summary Under Construction
Roller Derby Girl
1949 | United States | 5:21
A short documentary that mostly focuses on the women of the original derby, especially icons Midge "Toughie" Brasuhn and Jean Porter. Made during the transition period when the sport was becoming less about endurance and more about hits to gain competitive advantage.
Harold "Mr. Mean" Jackson
Around 1961 | United States | 5:21
A compilation of one of the world's greatest male athletes on roller skates. Shows the sport at the peak of its brutality and the beginning of scripted stunts before it really removed the competition aspect and became a purely theatrical entertainment sport for a couple of decades. Note the women in the middle of the track - they were playing the same brutal game once the men went for a break and vice-versa. Many of the former endurance skaters, like in "Roller Derby Girl", returned for this.
Roller Entertainment
Summary Under Construction
1989 | United States | 0:54
A largely staged entertainment sport - essentially WWE on wheels - played on a track shaped in a figure-eight morphed with a skatepark and a live alligator pit. Short-lived but extremely popular.​​
Around 1991 | United States | 7:00
Brought back elements of the original sport that RollerGames took out, like the standard banked track. As the series continued, WWE-style storylines were introduced and became the focus of the show rather than the competition itself, which arguably led to its downfall. Inline skates are accepted here, which is almost never the case for any other iteration of derby.​​
Modern Banked
Modern roller derby started in Austin, Texas in 2001. Real competition without storylines fixing the games and no planned stunts from the televised roller sports of yesteryear.​ TXRD rules keeps the aggression and violence, allowing fighting and elbowing to an extent, and adding a penalty wheel. As far as I know, TXRD are the only league to have ever played this ruleset and still do so, which is a huge reason to visit Texas.
There are a handful of banked track leagues left in the world with varying rules. If they follow RDCL, there's no fighting. Banked tracks require lot of effort and money - either an owned space for it to stay set up, or hours packing it up and down in borrowed spaces with strict safety compliance so the track doesn't accidentally collapse under skaters. Plus the cost of the track itself - bolts and screws, railings, a truck for transport or storage facility, etc.​​​
Flat Track
Flat Track Roller Derby began in 2002 with the Texas Rollergirls (not to be confused with TXRD). It is now globally the most popular variant of roller derby - it's the most accessible version.
A flat track can be sticky-taped down in most large flat spaces, like local basketball courts or standard roller rinks. You can chalk up any slab of concrete or abandoned carpark if it's large enough to practice on.​​
The Beyonslay Backpack
2008 East Coast Extravaganza | 1:02
A super cool example of early flat track, which looks very different to bouts today.
Major Rule Changes​
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Until 2019, the jammer also scored a point by passing the opposing jammer. There were 5 potential points per trip.
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Until 2013, there were "major" and "minor" penalties, the former included any player's fourth penalty, and it was strategic for a key player to deliberately commit such a penalty when it would have least effect.