FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The MRDA Teams Up With Movember

October 28, 2013 – Movember is a global health charity that has raised $446 million through the power of the Mo(mustache). For the thirty days of November, Movember encourages men to grow a mustache and women to support them. Growing a mustache sparks public and private discussion of the health issues facing men today. Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for men’s health for thirty days, raising awareness and funds to combat prostate and testicular cancer and raise awareness of other men’s health issues.

Participation is easy. The MRDA has teamed up with Movember and you can join the MRDA network of teams or just go solo. Mo Bros and Mo Sistas – yes, that’s right, sistas can mo too – go to http://monetwork.co/MensRollerDerbyAssociation and register. Then, men, Shave the Date on November 1^st, grow your mustache, and get friends, family and colleagues to donate to your Mo growing efforts.

Please join the MRDA in combating prostate and testicular cancer.

Contact: Jonas Downer

[email protected]

Your Mom Men’s Roller Derby is the 2013 MRDA Champion

For Immediate Release

October 20, 2013– The 2013 MRDA Championships in Sioux City, Iowa is over.  The Kornstalkers hosted an incredible tournament, some amazing derby was played and many bouts could have gone either way.  Below are the results of the MRDA Championships: Battle of Midway.

Your Mom Men’s Roller Derby defeats the New York Shock Exchange 249-130 to become the 2013 MRDA Champion.

#3-St. Louis Gatekeepers

#4-Mass Maelstrom

#5- Puget Sound Outcasts

#6- Bridgetown Menace

#7-Magic City Misfits

#8-Deep Valley Belligerents

The MRDA Continues to Grow

For Immediate Release

October 12, 2013- The MRDA continues to foster the growth and development of sustainable roller derby leagues and enhance the derby community with the admittance of six new leagues to the MRDA. Please welcome them. They are:

Glenmore Reservoir Dogs from Calgary, Alberta. They are part of the Chinook City Roller derby league which includes a women’s team, a co-ed team and junior team.

https://www.facebook.com/GlenmoreReservoirDogs

http://www.chinookcity.ca

The Big O Roller Bros from Omaha, Nebraska. They are the first men’s roller derby league in Nebraska.

https://www.facebook.com/bigorollerbros

http://bigorollerbros.org 

The Chicago Bruise Brothers from Chicago, Illinois, the premier men’s roller derby league in Chicago.

https://www.facebook.com/chicago.bruise.brothers

http://www.chicagobruisebrothers.com

Tyne and Fear Roller Derby from Walker, Newcastle in England. They are Northeast England’s first men’s roller derby league.

https://www.facebook.com/tyneandfear

http://www.tyneandfear.co.uk

The Inhuman League from Sheffield, England. They are Sheffield’s first men’s league and are affiliated with Sheffield Steel Roller girls.

https://www.facebook.com/inhumanleague

http://theinhumanleague.co.uk

The Cincinnati Battering Rams from Cincinnati, Ohio. The team was formed in 2011 and draws players from southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky.

https://www.facebook.com/cincinnatibatteringrams

http://www.cincinnatibatteringrams.com/

WFTDA Announces Beta Testing, February 2014 Rules Release

For Immediate Release

As the 2013 competitive season nears completion, the WFTDA Rules Committee is launching a six-week rules beta testing process. This test cycle is designed to gather data on two rules proposals that were generated out of community feedback and WFTDA membership discussions.

The WFTDA is seeking approximately ten WFTDA and MRDA leagues of all competitive levels to run scrimmage scenarios and provide general feedback, game statistics, and video footage. Participating leagues will be provided testing plans by the WFTDA Rules Committee, and asked to test and collect feedback from now until November 15, 2013. At the conclusion of this testing cycle, participants will be submit feedback in a survey administered online, to be made available in the coming weeks.

The testing will be overseen by a team from the Rules Committee. A report and recommendations, including any rules change proposals, will presented by this team to WFTDA membership for review and balloting in November 2013. Changes to the rules, if voted in by the membership after beta testing and feedback, would be incorporated in the next rules release, February 1, 2014.

The WFTDA community can continually submit feedback to the WFTDA Rules and officiating committees via our Timeout rules database (timeout.wftda.com); however the feedback period for the February 1, 2014 rules release will be open until October 31, 2013.

To submit your intent to participate in beta testing, please contact the WFTDA Rules Committee at [email protected] and provide the following information:

League name

League affiliation (WFTDA, MRDA, Other)

Years of experience

League testing contact name and email

Ability to provide video footage of scrimmages (Y/N)

For more information on the tests or your league joining the beta testing group, contact [email protected].

http://wftda.com/rules/beta/proposal-destruction-failure-to-reform.pdf

http://wftda.com/rules/beta/proposal-30-second-penalties.pdf

MRDA Announces New Executive Director Of Public Relations

For Immediate Release

October 1, 2013 – The MRDA would like to announce Jonas Downer of the Deep Valley Belligerents as the new executive director of public relations.

Jonas Downer founded NorCal Men’s Roller Derby in September 2011 and earned valuable experience using marketing techniques to recruit and attract an audience.  He currently skates with the Deep Valley Belligerents where he is on multiple committees and leads the committee that is drafting a new constitution for the league.  Jonas’ work with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees has given Jonas valuable experience with project management.  Mr. Downer will bring an exciting perspective to the role of marketing/public relations.

Jonas Downer replaces James Brains, who retired from roller derby to care for his growing family.  The MRDA would like to thank Mr. Brains for his invaluable contributions in promoting the MRDA and wish him the best.

Video for 2013 MRDA Championships Will Appear on WFTDA.tv

For Immediate Release

September 20, 2013 – With the common goal of producing a high quality product for larger audiences, the Men’s Roller Derby Association is teaming up with the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association’s WFTDA.tv to present the 2013 MRDA Championships. Noted for its high quality video footage, WFTDA.tv is the platform WFTDA uses to present the organization’s high-profile events. Now, they are bringing their expertise to host the live and archived video of the MRDA Championships in Sioux City, Iowa October 19-20.

MRDA’s goals in this endeavor are to:

• Boost the broadcast production of MRDA Championships.
• Have a static, easy to use/find archive of MRDA Championship bouts.
• Get more exposure, using an established technology/platform.
• Increase viewership and keep MRDA broadcasts free to fans and viewers.
• Increase MRDA’s sponsorship offerings.

“MRDA would like to reach fans beyond the derby community. In order to reach more fans, MRDA needs to refine and to standardize how we broadcast events and WFTDA.tv provides an ideal platform,” MRDA President Erich Bennar says. “We will be broadcasting all bouts at the 2013 MRDA Championships live on WFTDA.tv Presents, and WFTDA.tv will host archives of these bouts for MRDA. Both the broadcast and archives will be free to viewers.”

“Collaborating through WFTDA.tv is a positive step for both MRDA and WFTDA. So, for the 2013 MRDA Championships, MRDA will be broadcasting all bouts live on WFTDA.tv, and WFTDA.tv will host archives of these bouts for MRDA. Both the broadcast and archives will be free to viewers,” Bennar added.

More information, including the 2013 MRDA Championships programming schedule, can be found at WFTDA.tv and the Championships website.

If interested in advertising during WFTDA.tv’s broadcast of the 2013 MRDA Championships, contact MRDA Head of Sponsorship Screech Around at [email protected].

MRDA Announces New Director of Member Relations

For Immediate Release

September 13, 2013- The Men’s Roller Derby Association welcomes new Executive Director of Member Relations, Rave N’ BustHer. Rave N’ will succeed Uncle Jesse McNasty.  

Uncle Jesse McNasty has been with MRDA since it’s inception in 2011 and helped with the transition from MDC to MRDA. Jesse served as one of the 11 pro-tem Board Members before being elected as the first Director of Member Relations. He has served in that position since. Jesse’s most notable accomplishments in MRDA include the drafting and incorporation of the MRDA Membership Requirements, the MRDA New Member Packet, the MRDA Code of Conduct, and the MRDA Grievance Policy. He also developed and supervised the Member Application Committee and the New League Welcoming Committee. Jesse is also responsible for streamlining the MRDA Membership Application process and helping MRDA grow to 34 member leagues in 3 countries.

Rave N’ BustHer began his derby career as ref in August of 2010. He attended his first men’s derby practice in December of that year. After moving to Los Angeles in July of 2011, he and three others founded the Drive-By City Rollers. He helped grow Drive-By City into a sustainable league gaining admittance to MRDA in December of 2012. Rave N’ is currently also Drive-By City’s president.

MRDA bids a fond adieu to Uncle Jesse McNasty and thanks him for all of his hard work in shaping MRDA. MRDA welcomes Rave N’ BustHer as he joins the MRDA Board to help shape the future of roller derby.

MRDA Releases End of Season Rankings and 2013 Champs Seeding

For Immediate Release

September 12, 2013- The Men’s Roller Derby Association announces the end of year rankings determining who receives invites to MRDA Championships. The top eight teams earn a trip to Sioux City, Iowa October 19-20. The rankings will also serve as the seeding for the tournament.

Most notably, with wins over the Puget Sound Outcasts and the New York Shock Exchange at the Mohawk Valley Cup, the Mass Maelstrom move up to the #5 spot from #7. And, after tough losses to Portland’s Bridgetown Menace and the St. Louis GateKeepers at Quadtastrophe 2013, Puget Sound drops two spots to #7. The Deep Valley Belligerents will appear at Championships for the first time after finishing at #8

You can compare the previous rankings here.  For details about the MRDA Championships hosted by the Sioux City Kornstalkers visit the Championships Facebook page and website.

2013 Final Rankings

1   Your Mom Men’s Derby
2   St. Louis GateKeepers
3   New York Shock Exchange
4   Magic City Misfits
5   Mass Maelstrom Roller Derby
6   Bridgetown Menace
7   Puget Sound Outcast Derby
8   Deep Valley Belligerents
9   Race City Rebels
10   Minnesota Men’s Roller Derby
11   Southern Discomfort Roller Derby
12   Dallas Deception
13   Capital District Trauma Authority
14   Arizona Men’s Derby
15   Connecticut Death Quads
16   Mont Royals Montreal Men’s Roller Derby
17   Drive-By City Rollers
18   Rock City Riot
19   Manchester Roller Derby
20   Harm City Homicide
21   Carolina Wreckingballs
22   Boise Men’s Roller Derby
23   Sioux City Korn Stalkers
24   Quadfathers Men’s Roller Derby
25   Tampa Bay Men’s Roller Derby
26   Lane County Concussion
27   The Dirty Dozen
28   Cowtown Butchers Mens Roller Derby
29   Milwaukee Blitzdkrieg
30   Vermont Men’s Roller Derby
31   Uinta Madness Roller Derby 
32   Slick City Rollerz
33   Green Bay Smackers
34   The Hitmen of Manatee County

Association of Flat Track Derby Announcers to Staff 2013 MRDA Championships

For Immediate Release

August 30, 2013 – The Men’s Roller Derby Association is pleased to announce that it is teaming up with the Association of Flat Track Derby Announcers (AFTDA) to handle the announcing for the MRDA Championships in Sioux City, Iowa on October 19-20, 2013.  AFTDA will staff both the venue announcers and the broadcast announcers.

Those interested in announcing must apply at the following link by September 21, 2013: http://bit.ly/18Ma9n5

Announcers interested in the Head Announcer position must apply at the following link by September 14, 2013: http://bit.ly/16zBlFA.

Announcers must fill out both applications to be considered for both positions.

For more information about the MRDA Championships visit http://mrdachampionships.com/.

MRDA Unveils MRDAMerch.com

For Immediate Release

August 30, 2013- The Men’s Roller Derby Association is pleased to announce the grand opening of its new online merchandise store featuring items never before available from MRDA.

The discerning shopper can find t-shirts (in red, blue, green, orange, purple, and black), tank tops, and hooded sweatshirts for men and women as well as stickers, hats, members-only patches, and the always important drink koozie.

Show your support for men’s roller derby and get your merchandise in time for the MRDA Championships in Sioux City, Iowa in October 19-20. Visit MRDAMerch.com today.