Announcing Development Committee
Since 2020 there has been a real growth in the amount of roller derby that is broadcast every weekend. With the WFTDA Regional and Global Championship tournaments returning in 2024, we saw an opportunity to kick-start development, support, education, and resources to increase and improve roller derby announcers across the world.
Announcing should be treated in the same way as officiating in that there are clear paths and support structures for development and improvement. We do not have enough good, experienced announcers, and we could all learn more from each other.
In an effort to support the development of roller derby announcing, the WFTDA has created the Announcing Development Committee (ADC), with the ambition to develop and share experience, guidance, advice, information, and best practice for announcers and leagues. The intention is for ADC to work with announcers and with the Roller Derby Announcers Association to develop and create educational resources which can be shared across organisations and announcers.
The other driving factor for the ADC is to provide support for Regional and Global Championship host leagues with announcing and broadcast for 2024 and future tournaments.
Our goal was to recruit a group of announcers from a range of experiences, countries, and languages who will develop the ADC and work plan. We want to take the knowledge and experience across our announcer community to help define standards and examples of what good announcing is. We are not an easy sport to understand and to address the barriers in attracting new people to watch our content—and to reach wider distribution channels than we currently do—we need to improve how we explain the sport to other people. And there is also so much more that can be done in developing resources for those more remote or less able to travel announcers—and developed in multiple languages.
Job Description for ADC Members
In selecting the ADC members, we looked for announcers with experience in in-house, broadcast, and production, but also wanted to hear from newer announcers who have ideas about what resources would support their development. We were also keen for applications from announcers who work in languages other than English or parts of the world less visible on WFTDA.tv.
The ADC will work with the announcing community to develop a work plan designed to address the needs identified. The ADC has already provided advice and guidance to host leagues for the 2024 Regional and Global Championship as required or requested.
To ensure a wide variety of experience and spread, we selected a group of 15 individuals with a range of experience from around the globe.
ADC Members
We’re pleased to introduce the Announcing Development Committee (ADC):
AK 40oz – Detroit, MI, USA
Bob deQuickly – Tasmania, Australia
Chelvi Bomb – Monterrey, Mexico
Cinna-bomb Roll – Monterrey, Mexico
Comic Drop (Sans MS) – Nantes, France
Diss Cussions – Lancaster, PA, USA
dorkmistress – Bridgend, Wales, UK
Hémo’ – La Roche-sur-Yon, France
Iron Lung – Denver, CO, USA
PR Mageddon – New Orleans, LA, USA
Say-J – San Diego, CA, USA
Shady Hawkins – Dallas, TX, USA
Spider – Chicago, IL, USA
Sven Will Be – Newcastle, UK
TchaiKILLsky – Denver, CO, USA