Minnesota Roller Derby

I was at a semi-final today and saw various teams play.

I was so excited about tonight but I left hoping for more action. I really thought this would be the highlight of my trip but it just wasn't. We left about 15-20 mins early to avoid the crowds.

From what I gathered from locals they have modified rules over the years and now it's not as fun to watch as it once was.

The half time "show" was horrible. The sound system made the band sound awful. My ears are still bleeding. They were off key and were wearing neon. They were called "The Queefs" or something like that. Slowest 20+ minutes of my life.

Pros: It's kid friendly, there are some mid life crisis people who made for good people watching, cute videos at the beginning, roller derby is cool.

Seating:
Don't bother buying reserved seating tickets ahead of time...I saw various suckers walk in with their printed tickets from home only to discover they were taken.

General admission at the balcony has the best view.

You don't have to get there an hour early to get seats unless you're with a big group or something. 10 mins early is fine.

Trackside is seating on the floor with some chairs too.

Prices:
Paid $30 for 2 tickets, $15 for a pop/fries/nachos, and had we not parked far out and walked it would have been another $15 for parking. I think it's overpriced to be honest.

Before coming here my knowledge of roller derby was what I saw in a movie once and a few tv shows. When we found discount tickets at the state fair, we jumped at the chance to go.

It was a really fun evening! Everyone is super friendly, the games go quickly, and the prices for food/beverages won't break your wallet. It reminded me a lot of going to a Saint's game. The focus is on having fun, providing entertainment, and the joy of the game.

You've got two choices for tickets (well more than that, but basically two). You can either sit in the balcony which gives you a good view of the whole thing, or sit rink side which puts you in the action (we were warned that skaters sometimes fly off into you). We chose balcony for our first time because we were told by one of the skaters that is the better choice for your first time here.

This is a fun and quirky family/friend outing that won't break your bank. Highly recommend if you are looking to do something different.

70/100

There's no doubt the MN Roller Girls are a five star group, even if I have a few minor quibbles with my night out. I really think pretty much everyone in Minnesota should at tend at least once. They do a good job of explaining the rules so first timers know what is going on.

*Five stars for being a first class organization, good for families, supportive of lots of cool community stuff (like the Anne Bancroft Foundation and Project for Pride in Living)
*Five stars for showcasing quality woman athletes of all sizes.
*Five stars for the live band dance party during halftime.
*Five stars for $11 tickets plus kids 9 and under are FREE.
*Five stars for beer. (Ok, I'm not a big beer drinker, but I fully support beer sales at any event. I just do. The rest of the concessions were just a bit above average in the pricey but tasty popcorn style) (I brought in my own water and snacks, they were checking bags but not closely.)

But. BUT. And I wouldn't dare take away a star, but I'm old. And my kids are young. Could you turn down the volume just a tad so I can have a conversation that doesn't involve yelling?. And maybe start the main bout just a half hour earlier? I don't mean to nit pick, and I didn't for one second think about taking away a star.

It was like I died and went to RollerGirl heaven! Tried to get their early to catch all the activities, but the Minnesota Wild fans were seriously inhibiting my fun time... I missed the juniors, so hopefully they play again soon.
My advice is to go obscenely early in order to park, peruse the merch, and visit the derby museum. Plus Pizza Luce is so kind as to have a table that gives away prizes. Guitar pick that says "Free pint" on it?, Why yes please!

Mental note* In the future check the schedule for other events!

This is an amazing activity for kids! We had a group of 10, and were able to get seats in the second row near the playing area. The skaters were friendly, funny, and super accessible. They were amazing athletes. The mascots were dancing the whole time. We will be going to every match this year. The whole thing was so laid back. We were about 20 yards away from the beer stand and the bathrooms.

Tips:
-Arrive about 10 minutes before the opening time to get good General Admission seats.
-Bring earplugs for young children. The polka music was so much fun, but ear protection is probably a great idea.
-Don't forget to get a black eye from the skaters. It was a point of pride for my little guy.
-Go to Pizza Luce to buy your tickets ahead of time so you don't have to pay the exorbitant Ticketmaster fees.

Engaging, exciting, good value, lots of smiles!!

Great for groups, families, or a date night!

Fun half time show, prizes between rounds, fun announcers, great music, extremely upbeat...SURLY beer!

Its better to buy your tickets ahead of time at one of the outside vendors because they often sell out. Also all general admission is seat yourself, first come first served, so people that want the "best" seats will get there over an hour before the doors open to wait in line. But, you can see from pretty much anywhere in the upper level so you don't have to do that if you already have a ticket.

It helps to go with a group or at least one other person, because if you want to keep coming back to your same seats...someone might want to stay behind to "hold" them in general admission, but for $11 no complaints here!

Loved it, if you don't hate fun....then you need to GO to Minnesota RollerGirls!

I really, really, really love this group of ladies. I've been following them for a couple of seasons, and they are just as great off the track as they are on the track for a bunch of reasons-

1. They donate a lot of their proceeds to supporting girls in sports. I'm proud to support an organization that does community outreach. Not to mention their other charities they spotlight, like knitting hats for cancer patients, donating toys, etc.

2. They are incredibly approachable. When I first heard about them for the movie premeire of Whip It, they loaded me up on free goodies and took pictures with my friend and I.

3. They work(out) hard. I have to appreciate the amount of time they spend dedicated to staying in shape for when they go out on the track. But let me be clear about something - the Minnesota Rollergirls have women of all sizes on their teams, and for that, they're my heroes.

4. They get results on the scoreboard.

5. Their tickets are affordable.

These girls are kicking ass and taking names--literally!

My first bout was the one where Savage Animal broke her leg. I was sad to see her go, but really impressed by all of the skaters taking a knee while she was attended to. I was also very happy to see her announcing alongside John Maddening the next season while she recovered.

The refs have great names (Spike, Mani-Ax, E-Radicator...) and take their jobs seriously. The rollergirls are sexy but won't hesitate to hip check their opponents and send them sprawling into the trackside seats. The announcers are hilarious even if the acoustics are terrible. And polka...ohh, the polka...and the PBR.

Long story short, if you've never been to a bout, what the hell are you waiting for?!

I've been wanting to check this out for a long time and boy I'm kicking myself I didn't go sooner.

This was a great time! The crowd here was super diverse, lots of families, all age groups, everything! The black eyes were hilarious! I have never wanted to pay for a black eye more in my life, ever! Even my date wanted a black eye, I know if I take my daughter she's going to want one!!! Live music at halftime and after the derby.

I will take my daughter to this in all seriousness. I think its a very good roll model experience for girls and just a good old fashion fun time for everyone. Oh, and they serve beer!

Loved it!

KT

I can't help but compare the Minnesota RollerGirls to my Brew City Bruisers team but they were great, too! It's a talented group, which makes for really exciting bouts. The arena was cool, I liked the lights. It was difficult to hear the announcers and it would have been nice if they would say the players' names more throughout (or maybe they were and I just couldn't hear!). I would have liked to know who was who - especially when scoring, oh, 30 points in one jam! I thought the halftime show was way too long - I just want to see the bouts. A big crowd advanced on the main floor though, so I know a lot of people enjoyed it. I thought the Hug and High Five Cam was a really fun idea! Overall, this is a great time and worthwhile sport to support.

I'm adding my "me too" review for the MNRG. We've been attending bouts since 2008. It's a great family event. Lots of action on the track. As a spectator it's easy to figure out the basics of derby, but there's also a lot of strategy and teamwork involved that reward repeat visits and further study. Ticket prices are reasonable, which allows room to enjoy a Surly tallboy or two. The skaters are extremely welcoming, particularly to my special needs son (who loves to root for his team "GO BOMBSHELLS").

Roller derby is perhaps the highest, best and only proper use for The Roy. Highly recommended.