League News

Gotham's Board of Directors is seeking new members!

If you are interested or know a good candidate, please reach out. Candidates are not required to be active or former league members. Please read the outline below and reach out to the board (bod@ggrd.nyc) if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you!

Board of Directors
As a non-profit organization, Gotham is led by a Board of Directors. This Board serves as the organization’s governing body, and works together with Gotham’s annually elected Advisory Board (AB) which administers all day-to-day and operational issues.

In compliance with state and federal law, Directors act as the fiduciaries responsible for the financial, legal, and public interest activities of the organization. Specific Director responsibilities include:

  • Advancing the league’s mission

  • Approving the annual operating budget and reviewing all major financial plans (including, but not limited to, lease signing, borrowing, investing, and negotiating major contracts)

  • Coordinating annual tax filings and financial audits

  • Assuming responsibility on behalf of the organization for legal issues and lawsuits

  • Overseeing paid employee annual compensation and performance

  • Recruitment and planning for succession – specifically in collaboration with the league’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

The Board currently has 6 members and maintains active officer positions. Directors are nominated and approved by a selection committee consisting of the full board and a minimum of two active league members.

Commitment

  • Time: Directors serve a term of two years, up to a maximum of 6 consecutive years. Typically, the Board holds monthly meetings but makes special arrangements to meet more frequently or to meet with AB members as needed. In addition, Directors are expected to attend at least 1 annual league meeting and at least 2 Gotham games annually.

  • Total personal time commitment is estimated between 5-10 hours monthly.

  • Finances: Gotham currently has no give/get policy in place.

  • Directors are expected to participate in league fundraising – through organizing events or campaigns, supporting league initiatives, soliciting gifts and donations, and other means.


Expertise
The current Board comes from a range of backgrounds. Gotham is in a transitional period, navigating a variety of organizational issues, and additional expertise is sought in the following areas:

  • Fundraising & event planning

  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

  • Finance/investment

  • Human Resources

  • Strategic Planning

  • Architecture/Construction/MEP fields

  • Non-profit management

  • Marketing/social media

  • Video/visual media arts

  • Board governance and expansion

  • Web development

  • Community building with local gov’t and community organizations

  • School systems/youth

  • Legal experience

  • Professional athletic organizations connection or experience

Photo by Christina Morillo

Juniors Expo & Monster Mashup - Sunday 10/9/2022 at Prospect Park

Gotham Roller Derby’s 2022 Season concludes on Sunday, October 9! These are the last games this year that Gotham will host at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.

The evening kicks off at 6:00 PM with the Gotham junior skaters playing their very own mash-up game! At 7:30 PM, the All-Boro Monster Mash-Up game will pit the Vampigeons against the Were-Rats, celebrating the spooky fall season and bringing back the teams that went head-to-head in our June mash-up!

The final game will combine jammers, blockers, and pivots from every home team, and highlight some of the league’s newest upcoming skaters – their collective chemistry together could make all the difference on the track. You’ll have to head to Prospect Park on the late afternoon of October 9 to find out which of these spine-chilling teams comes out on top to close out 2022!

Were-Rats logo and Vampigeons logo over a background of skaters.

Photo by Jena Cumbo

Doubleheader 7/23/22: Queens vs Manhattan, Bronx vs Brooklyn at LeFrak Center at Lakeside

Gotham Roller Derby’s Home Team Season is starting Saturday, July 23! This is the first of three monthly double-headers — happening in July, August, and September — that Gotham will host at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. More information regarding game times and tickets is available here.

This double-header will pit the Queens of Pain against the Manhattan Mayhem, followed by the Brooklyn Bombshells facing off against The Bronx Gridlock. Doors open at 5:30 PM, the Queens vs Manhattan game starts at 6:00 PM, and Brooklyn vs the Bronx starts at 8:00 PM.

It’s been more than two years since our interborough teams have met up on the track. In 2019, Manhattan beat Queens by 66 points, and The Bronx defeated Brooklyn with a 42 point win. This year’s teams boast new jammer, blocker, and pivot combinations that could make all the difference on the track. You’ll have to head to Prospect Park on July 23 to find out which of these teams come out on top in 2022!

Founded in 2003, Gotham Roller Derby is New York City’s only skater-operated roller derby league for cisgender, transgender and intersex women and gender non-conforming participants. The league is comprised of strong, diverse, and independent members, and our nonprofit is proud to be committed to fostering competition, collaboration, and community, while representing our city on and off the track.

A Gotham Roller Derby jammer jumps the apex past a blocker.

Photo by Sean Hale

All-Boro Mash-Up Game - Saturday, June 4 at the Lefrak Center at Lakeside

Gotham Roller Derby will be holding its first public game in more than two years on Saturday, June 4! This first game will be an All-Boro Mash-Up dedicated to celebrating our league members’ return to skating together after a long hiatus. Tickets are available here.

For the 2022 season, the league will be taking Prospect Park by storm, with monthly game days – most of which will be double-headers – at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside between now and mid-fall. Following June 4, Gotham will be hosting a modified Home Team Season, with its four teams – full of new faces – each facing off against each other. The Bronx Gridlock, Brooklyn Bombshells, Manhattan Mayhem and Queens of Pain are ready to skate hard and bring the spirit of roller derby back to New York.

Game Dates:

Saturday, June 4

Saturday, July 23 - Double Header

Sunday, August 21 - Double Header

Sunday, September 18 - Double Header

Sunday, October 9

Game times and ticketing information can be found here.

Photo by Sean Hale

Roll with Gotham Roller Derby - Basic Training, Boot Camps and Tryouts

Join us on the track this season and become a Gotham Roller Derby skater!

We welcome all adult skaters who identify with the WFTDA gender statement in our competitive league and recreational programs.

Visit our Basic Training page for more information about our recreational program and to register. Our first spring session begins May 2nd!

Gotham Roller Derby's Basic Training is dedicated to training and developing roller derby skaters at all skill levels. Our mission is to provide a fun, safe, and competitive environment for all who participate.

If you're looking to take your game to the next level, or just want a challenge, roll up to our competitive league's tryouts.

Tryouts start June 5th, and second round participants will continue on June 12th.

We're offering two pre-tryout training clinics on May 15th and May 22nd, focusing on skating skills and strategic gameplay. Check out our Tryouts page for more info, and register for Boot Camps here.

Three Gotham Roller Derby skaters working through a blocking drill.

Photo by Bunny McBones.