FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2020

Madison Roller Derby Cancels Season Seventeen
​
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic Madison Roller Derby has officially cancelled their seventeenth season of games, typically held January through May at the Alliant Energy Center.  

The league has been largely on hiatus since the government-mandated quarantine began last March, though volunteer league members have been meeting virtually to keep the business running and assess when it might be appropriate to return to play. Following the guidelines of the sport's governing body, the Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association (WFTDA), the league decided it was best to cancel our 2021 game season entirely and, for the time being, all practices and in-person events. MRD takes its role as a responsible community member seriously and wants to do everything in our power to ensure the health and safety of our members, our fans, and our community at large.

With that in mind, we are also humbly asking that anyone who is able please consider donating directly to our league in lieu of attending our games. Donations are tax deductible and can be made online at www.madisonrollerderby.org/our-home.html.

As an all-volunteer, grassroots organization that relies on revenue from our public games to keep us going, the cancellation will be financially difficult to weather. We’re hopeful, though, that with support from the community and our many skaters and volunteers, we’ll be able to keep rolling for many years to come.

MRD wishes to thank all our incredible fans and supporters. We look forward to the day when we can all safely skate again and welcome back our roller derby fans! We hope that by taking proactive steps to limit exposure, however, we can do our small part to flatten the curve of infection rates and prevent the pandemic from becoming an even bigger strain on our families, neighbors, and health care providers.

With gratitude,
Gaile Schwickrath (aka Just Alice), Executive Director
Shannon Rae (aka Saucy Mcbossy) Media Manager
The Madison Roller Derby Executive Board & the entire league
www.madisonrollerderby.org

​