From: gjdodger <gjdodger@...>
Subject: Re: [BANKED TRACK NEWS] Derby in Mid sized cities
To: bankedtracknews@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 12:56 PM

 

I'll admit I don't have a pat answer for that. But I think the reason it's not working in big cities is the cost and the competition. There is a heckuva lot to do in LA; where I am, in Little Rock, there is comparatively much less. So, my argument is you'll probably get crowds of equal size at either venue--several hundred, maybe a couple thousand--but it costs a lot less to rent an arena here than there, even in the outlying burgs. Plus, there are other expenses--energy, lodging, food, workforce. All of those are much cheaper in the mid-south than in Los Angeles. You can make it work with those small crowds here. Or you could, before all this happened.

--- In bankedtracknews@ yahoogroups. com, james win <recordnut@. ..> wrote:
>
> Why not do what Griffith Sr. did in early stages of Roller Games and just focus on a local market ( say Los Angeles ) ........they' d skate at local venues in and around the L.A. and San Bernardino counties ............ 2 to 3 times per week . That way the skaters would'nt have to travel far and could still keep the day jobs and most important hone in on the younger xtreme skaters that dwell at local skate parks and rinks....... .The future of this sport are those young skaters ............ .....I believe that the fans are CRAVING a come back........ ........these younsters could deliver the excitement the fans crave ..........just food for thought 
>
>
>
>
> ____________ _________ _________ __
> From: jeffrey huff <huffy1001@. ..>
> To: bankedtracknews@ yahoogroups. com
> Sent: Tuesday, August 4, 2009 7:23:35 AM
> Subject: [BANKED TRACK NEWS] Derby in Mid sized cities
>
>  
> Youre right Dodger, but in this economy, any new ventures , have a good chance of failing. Its hard for derby to rate well, in the days of Jerry Springer, and ultimate fighting. Unless they present it in a way that shows , skills over color.
>
> --- On Tue, 8/4/09, gjdodger <gjdodger@gmail. com> wrote:
>
>
> >From: gjdodger <gjdodger@gmail. com>
> >Subject: [BANKED TRACK NEWS] Making a rare appearance here
> >To: bankedtracknews@ yahoogroups. com
> >Date: Tuesday, August 4, 2009, 8:58 AM
> >
> >
> > 
> >First, welcome to the Group's newest member, gigifoulin; thanks for joining.
> >
> >Now, just food for thought. I have put forth the argument in the past that, if the "old" Derby were to make a comeback, its best bet would be to follow the Arena Football model. They located in smaller but still populous cities, and play only on weekends so their players can hold down other jobs. And they've had a marvelous 20 year run.
> >
> >Until now. The Arena Football League is about to declare bankruptcy and go out of business. And it appears to me there are similarities to the AFL's decline and that of the old IRDL, which expanded nationwide in the early 70s. Both ran afoul of runaway costs--in both cases, energy prices went through the roof--coupled with an economic downturn. The major sports are certainly not immune to these effects, but so many people have so much at stake in those ventures that they've become too big to fail. RD, like the AFL, was more akin to a travelling show; those, too, will simply fold their tents when the money hemorraging becomes too acute.
> >
> >
>