MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After more than 12 years playing and practicing in midtown Memphis at the Pipkin Building at the old Mid-South fairgrounds, Memphis Roller Derby is looking for a new home.
With the Memphis Showboats football team cruising into town, the derby is being wheeled out of their practice space at Liberty Park.
"It was just unfortunate because we have had such a long running relationship with the city, the building. They were great about it. They helped us find other locations. But unfortunately, those didn't work for us. It was really disheartening,” said Randi Kersey, Lead Organizer.
Kersey is now lacing up with her lacing up with the roller derby at First Baptist church's basketball gym. But they need more space to get back on track and get the bouts going.
So, they’ve reached out to the public for help.
"We need a space that is a space that is big enough to hold a track. That will hold people in the building and sell tickets,” said Kersey.
Anyone with ideas can submit them to the derby HERE.
Requirements for the space include:
At minimum 108 ft. by 75 ft. of skate-able space is ideal so skaters and refs fit on the track (about 8,000 sq. ft. of space).
- Skateable flooring includes wooden floors, polished concrete, or laminate.
- AC is preferred but not required.
- No or very few poles.
And while the derby looks for a new space, they are continuing to jam, hoping to attract more people to the sport.
"Everybody I've met in roller derby has been great. We are all about bringing out the best in each other,” said Kersey.