Rat City Rollergirls

Seattle, United States

4.6

20 reviews

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Website:
www.ratcityrollergirls.com
Address:
Seattle, WA 98194
Lower Queen Anne
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
490 ft1st Ave N & Republican St
0.2 miSeattle Center
0.2 mi1st Ave N & Denny Way
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Good for Kids
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Today

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Local time (Seattle) 3:40 PM Friday, November 29, 2024

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Description

Specialties

The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s première all-​female, flat-​track roller derby league.

Please join us for home team championships on April 25 at KeyArena (check out events on Yelp or go to our website!)

We play at KeyArena to the roar of thousands and practice and play to a more intimate crowd at the new Rats Nest up on 19 022 Aurora Ave N in Shoreline.

RCRG is composed of over 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams: Derby Liberation Front, Grave Danger, Sockit Wenches, and Throttle Rockets. In addition, a small number of skilled, dedicated skaters are chosen to represent the league on its fifth team, the Rat City Rollergirls All Stars.

Mission Statement: As Seattle’s premier, member-​owned roller derby league, it is our mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for our fans, and make a positive impact in our community.

History

Established in 2004.

The Rat City Rollergirls got rolling in April 2004 after a group of good friends with glasses of good wine sat around a lamb stir-​fry and Minute Rice dinner swapping wild stories about a roller derby resurgence in Texas. Within weeks, that dinner party conversation led to the formation of the Rat City Rollergirls, the first flat-​track derby league in the Northwest (true story).

Within months Rat City Rollergirls — named, after a fashion, for the South Seattle neighborhood where the league got its start — had grown to four teams and 80-​plus skater-​members. Later, as derby momentum picked up nationwide, Rat City formed an all-​star team made up of the best players from the four home teams who represent RCRG in regional and national play.

Since Rat City made its first tournament appearance at 2006’s Dust Devil in Tucson, Ariz., the league and its all-​star team has shown fans what true northwest derby is all about.

Meet the Manager

Betsy Nails N.

Manager

Betsy Nails is one of many volunteers who help run Rat City.

We are entirely volunteer run and operated (skaters pay dues to support us AND volunteer to run things, doing everything from balancing the books, designing our posters, negotiating contracts and cleaning the toilets).

Betsy started out as a Non Skating Official, which means doing things like keeping score, tracking penalties and other mysterious official things that happen during the game.

She could not resist the siren song of roller derby and after two years officiating she strapped on a pair of skates, even though she was completely uncoordinated and skating terrified her (thank heavens we wear protective equipment). Her thirteenth time on skates (including childhood) was a scrimmage (informal game) at Rat City’s new skater «Makin’ Bacon Camp.»

She fell down a lot, but it was love at first hit.

Two years later and many hours of training she is now a proud member of Rat City’s Grave Danger (your worst nightmare).

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Blood Bounces Hockey Event
Key Arena

20 reviews of Rat City Rollergirls

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Kenmore, WA
Never saw one but for some odd reason I’m very glad it exists. No idea why, just am.
I think this is the most useful review I’ve ever written… no idea why, just is.
Place rating: 5
Kirkland, WA
Went to their mini-​bout thing this weekend. Super fun! I would have liked more info about the differences in the rulesets (it was 3 bouts with 3 different rules: USARS, Jr Derby, MRDA) and how they’re different from RCRG’s regular WFTDA rules, but overall it was still really enjoyable.
The bake sale and merch stuff were good too, and are a great way to support RCRG. I wish they had more non-​XXL shirts for sale though.
We brought kids along and they loved the junior derby and now I think buying skates is in their future… :D
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
Fast paced action, hard hitting women in a REAL sport that captivates fans who vary from little kids to older ladies! It’s a great show but also it’s obvious that this is a very serious sport to the ladies and BRAVO to them! The Key seems like a great venue, not too big and not too small
Place rating: 4
Federal Way, WA
FUN, FUN, FUN! We had a great fun-​filled action packed evening at Key Arena watching not 1 but 2 matches (?). Once you figure out what’s going on, it’s quite entertaining. I think it’s probably the same atmostphere as a big, time wrestling match would be — announcers and referees put on quite the show. The night we went, there were maybe a couple of thousand of people (including Seattle’s infamous Mackelmore & Ryan Lewis). I wouldn’t go every week but definitely want to go again!
Place rating: 4
Kent, WA
Super. fun.
We had a great time, the names are the most fun. (we mention grr Rawr rawr a lot) I even came up with my own!
My son just asked me yesterday when we could go back.
Sorry kid. next year.
Sadly, when we were here, my car was broken into from the Science Center parking garage. Darn vandals with nothing better to do.
Place rating: 5
Puyallup, WA
Love RCRG… go throttle rockets!!!
I’ve been going to RCRG matches since they originated at Sandpoint! The Key is by far the best venue for the flat track!
If you want a fun evening this is one great one!
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
Bravo ladies! I always have so much fun when I go to Key Arena to see a bout.
I originally went to the last bout of the 2011 season and have only missed one this year. I’d suggest maybe reading up a bit about the rules before you go becuase I was a little lost when I first arrived. The basic rules are also in the program and you can ask almost anyone sitting around you. There are also two announcers who do play-​by-​play commentary for each bout which is also helpful.
I think one of the things I most enjoy about roller derby is the mixture of athleticism and humor. In my eyes, thse chicks are badass athletes but they’re also having fun. Don’t expect any fighting or wrestling a la 1970’s roller derby. This is for real and there are penalties. All the skater names are pretty funny as well. My personal favorite: Yoko O’noyoudidn’t.
The different teams and the organization itself support many charities. It is also entirely volunteer run and the ladies must put in a certain amount of their time to help out.
One thing that really struck me after I started going to bouts is the diversity of the fan base. I really have seen just about every demographic here: ladies having a girls night, dudes, old ladies, gay families, straight families, middle aged couples, young couples, teenagers… and everyone is always having a great time. I cant’ wait for 2013!
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
I really enjoyed it! Great entertainment and for a good cause.
Place rating: 5
Shoreline, WA
I grew up rollerskating in Vegas, so I flipped about seeing a bout as an adult. Its flat track rollerderby, compared to bank and you see some pretty narley stuff at times. It’s exciting, they serve beer/​wine, and its a great place to people watch. The ONLY downside I can see is the length; usually goes on for nearly 4 hours! It is first come first serve seating so I try to get there when doors open at 4:30, bout starts at 5:30.
Great for date night, or girls night, or birthday party, etc. Not so great to bring youngins’ under 8. Like I said, its a long time to sit still.
It is a great organization, well planned and managed. The girls do so much for the community and younger girls’ roller derby. I think they are the pride and joy of Seattle.
Place rating: 5
Vashon, WA
I actually saw real roller derby back when I was a kid. I mean the kind that was rigged like wrestling where there were good teams who were usually blonde, muscular and good looking and the bad teams who usually wore black and were thuggish looking. The bad guys always had managers who would sneak into the ring and trip rival teams. Usually there was some kind of fight on the track where everyone would throw off their helmets and start slapping each other. It was pretty cheesy and was way too hard to follow what was happening compared to wrestling. The local SF team was the Bay City Bombers.
Rat City is way better because these women are badasses for real. They put their bodies on the line just to compete. This is an all volunteer sport and these women are dedicated. Once you figure out what’s going on it makes for an exciting couple of hours. By the last bout of opening night we were all on our feet cheering.
at around 15 bucks it makes for an affordable night out. There were lots of couples and families.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
What I knew about roller derby could fit inside the tippy-​toes of a skate with room to spare, so the exhibition bout was quite an education indeed. The action is fast and frantic and somewhat reminded me of a basketball game with a lot of confusing activity for a brief period of time, followed by another period of standing around/​resetting. Roller derby is a helluva lot more entertaining than basketball though, from the creative names (Yoko Onoudidn’t) to the male cheerleaders and more.
No fistfights broke out, which is a credit to the girls’ professionalism, but there were plenty of spills, thrills, hip-​checks and at least one full out head-​over-​heels somersault to keep your attention.
With the help of the information printed in the program, I was more or less following along by the second bout. It probably would’ve helped if I had been able to understand the announcers, but there was too much echo in Key Arena. Really, the biggest negatives in attending an event have more to do with the venue — from the overpriced concessions to the Ticketmaster fees (avoidable if you buy in person from one of the locations listed on the RCRG website). Seating was a bit confusing as it is mostly general admission, but then our tickets had seat numbers printed on them.
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
This was quite a show, girls.
The girls are hot, the action is hotter and the crowd goes WILD!
They put the rules/​information in the programs so those who are newbies can follow along with the action not to mention the talented and entertaining announcers finalize your knowledge with some tidbits and replays on the giant screens.
Professional performance from a really amazing team, this is one event you’ll remember!
Place rating: 5
Issaquah, WA
Went to the season opener. My first RCRG experience. It was AWESOME!!! I can’t wait to go again! Lots of action, competitive, great commentators. The entire experience was fantastic! I am in awe of these girls, they are tough! Love it!
We bought general admission tickets, had great seats, could see all the action… and the great outfits and makeup! Loved the energy at the Key!
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
Exceeded my high expectations set by my brother and watching the movie «Whip It.» Roller derby at the Key Arena is more inclusive of a variety of crowd members, even more over-​the-​top in entertainment factor, and less violent than I expected. The flat track minimizes speed and therefore injuries because players have to worry about staying inside the lines instead of being able to crash up against an outside wall. I hear the league has really cracked down on violence in the past couple of years, too.
In terms of «good for kids,» I saw some pretty young kids and senior citizens there, but I’d say the overall experience is about PG-​13 in terms of vulgarity. (Probably the dirtiest player name is Muff Stache. Little kids probably don’t get this, but adults do.) Cheerleaders and fans near me were quite respectful in what they yelled, and the commentators/​announcers were G or PG.
Rat City is athletically pretty much the best roller derby league in the nation; one of the teams beat a Texas team last year (where roller derby was reborn) in what I’m pretty sure was a national championship.
Just to clarify what I was confused about before going for the first time, Rat City Rollergirls is the name of the league and has its own mascot and fan memorabilia. Within Rat City are four teams with their own separate mascots, themes, fans, and memorabilia, and all four teams play at each Rat City event/​set of bouts/​whatever it’s called to maximize attendance and bang for ticket buck.
And did I mention the well publicized after parties and that two out of the four people in the group I went with caught T-​shirts thrown into the crowd by the league mascot Rat Bastard?
Place rating: 2
Seattle, WA
Sadly I can’t give this event a better score. This was our first time to the event (Saturday, April 9th) at Key Arena and my group and the people around us were all complaining about how ‘unactive’ the event was. There was more activity and excitement from the darn announcers — to be honest with you who were starting to get on our nerves as well. The constant fouls and whistles for things that seemed so minute were odd. There was no ‘rough housing’ like we had heard or hoped for, so it was so boring to us that we ended up leaving after half time. There were quite a few people in attendance, but as I mentioned, the groups around us started acting like they do at a bad baseball game — just chit chatting with each other and not watching the actual event!
So, sorry, it was NOT something we had hoped for and won’t repeat.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
This was my first bout since the RCRG moved from their digs at the main hangar at the old Sand Point Naval Air Station. Time has been good to the league. To be able to showcase their stuff at the Coliseum (Key Arena) is definitely a good thing (though I kind of miss the old digs). It just happens that Saturday’s bout had 5100+ people in attendance which made it the largest crowd ever to see a bout anywhere! Way to go!
Roller derby is kind of like watching hockey; with its non-​stop action that is punctuated with many instances of physical violence. It’s simply awesome. These girls freaking kick ass!
$ 15 for four hours of entertainment is certainly a great deal. Go out and buy a ticket and root for your favorite team: Grave Danger, Sockit Wenches, Derby Liberation Front (DLF) or Throttle Rockets. I purchase my tickets at the arena ticket office so I don’t get raked over the coals by Ticketmaster’s convenience fees.
I could have sworn I had written a review of the RCRG back in 2007⁄08 — well I suppose better late than never!
«Ha-​ha! Later, Bitches!»
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GO WENCHES! More BLOOD! Will you go out with me?
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Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
I had some serious fun at Key Arena last night watching the Rat City Roller Girls.
The Roller Derby is like watching short track and football mixed into one big crazyfunfest with awesome paraphernalia. The costumes are sexy cool, but the names of the gals are even cooler. My favorite names were Mufftache, CN Enemy, as well as the unforgettable Carmen GetSome! This was my first bout and I really got into it. The overall atmosphere is great and it is highly entertaining to watch the Jammers pass through the pack as well as watching gals battle it out inside the pack.
The KeyArena was a nice venue for this event and you could see the floor very clearly even from the top of the stands. The MCs were sometimes a little annoying, but the shows in between were highly entertaining. We saw I guy jump over six people in his sneakers NOT skates. There was also a dance off and this guy name Kyle took off his shirt (aka Guy with his shirt off) won and got a season pass ticket! So jealous. I should have taken off my shirt too. The mascots were fun to watch as well. Dudes in tutus and pompoms! Getting into the arena itself was very easy. No long lines! Yay!
At the end of the bout, I was really disappointed because I wanted to watch more. :(Can’t wait till April 10th for the next bout! The RCR gals have some serious attitude and are super badass. Check them out!
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
The RCRGirls are without a doubt the badassiest ladies in town. No joke. Badasses on skates.
There are four teams in Seattle: The Derby Liberation Front, the Throttle Rockets, the Sockit Wenches, and Grave Danger. Each team has a unique costume, mascots, and loyal fan following that makes each bout a screaming frenzy as the girls roll around the track.
Five stars for the Rollergirls themselves, of course. And their names. The rest is just a review of the new event venue.
This season, all bouts are being held at the Key Arena. This makes for a less-​gritty experience (floor seating on your bum, cheap beer and shots, port-​o-​potties in one of the hangers in Magnuson Park). Key Arena makes for a shiny, streamlined and slightly less dirty roller derby experience.
Pro: No chance (well, slim chance) of the bouts selling out, which was always a point of frustration if you couldn’t get a ticket at the hangers.
Con: Ticketmaster sells the tickets. Buy them at the box office at Key Arena for $ 20 to save yourself $ 8 in fees– and do it BEFORE the day-​of the bout, ’cause the price goes up to $ 28 anyway on the day of.
Pro: Jumbotron with replays of nasty spills and sweet maneuvers through the pack.
Con: Long long long lines for concessions, no cheap beer ‘garden’. Apparently 4x as many people showed up for the first bout than were expected which completely overwhelmed Key Arena. Because the lines were SO long, they ran out of food and ended up letting people leave to get food and bring it back in. Thanks to Key Arena for bending the rules. No thanks for charging $ 7.50/beer.
Pro: Semi-​comfortable seats means you don’t have to spend 4 hours sitting on your bum on the floor or in the bleachers.
Con: Limited floor seating for season-​ticket holders means you can’t be as up-​close and personal with the track and there is no chance of the rollergirls sprawling into your laps.
Pro: Pre-​bout and post-​bout happy hours hosted at the Funhouse– just across the street! Short commute.
Con: Hello, sponsorship plugs. One after another. I can’t remember if last season there was so much mention of the sponsors, but holy moly, Gorditos Burritos, your business was mentioned several hundred times and I hope that translates into lots of traffic.
Now that there is such an increased capacity for attendance, you really have no reason not to go. Just be prepared to deal with the usual bullshit that comes with big venues!
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
Rat City Rollergirls Rule!
I have such respect for these women. I wish I was out there with them. What could be more empowering then dressing in fishnets and a low cut top and kicking some serious ass! It’s almost as good as ice hockey for me, and I really love hockey.
I’ve been meaning to see these women play for awhile. This was my birthday present to myself. I was more than happy to spend the money on beers and jäger shots when I found out it supported the ladies. We showed up a little before bout time and were able to get great floor seats. I am all about the floor. You really feel like you are in the action. Bringing a low chair or seat cushion would be nice but not necessary. I only wish I had made it earlier to get front row floor.
The game is easy to follow once you watch for a bit and the fans are more than happy to help you learn. Speaking of the fans, they are wonderful. All ages, all walks of life. Eye candy on the rink and in the stands. Lots of ladies in beautiful dresses, hair colors not found in nature, even Slayer t-​shirts!
D.L.F. was incredible. They really have an edge to them. I gotta say they might be my favorites of Seattle.
Now that I’ve gotten the taste for it, I can’t wait to go to more games and would love to do a practice skate with them. Not sure if my land skating would be up for it but, at least I’ll have my ice hockey checking skills ready to go! Who knows, maybe one day this Wanna-​Be Valkyrie will be a rollergirl.
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
This has got to be one of the best nights out in town for spectator sports.
First of all it’s an amateur sport; people doing it for the love of the game in their spare time. Spare time being three practices a week, plus training, promotion, & fundraising (after they get done with the job that pays the mortgage). Secondly, these women, without repose are atheletes, currently ranked #1 in the nation in the sport of Women’s Flat Track Derby Racing (
).
The game it self is kinda hard to explain with out a visual, but it ain’t that Rollerball shite from the 70’s. Fundamentally, it’s a race. Two teams of 5 players each on a small, flat track, with one player from each team (jammer) trying to lap the entire pack to score points. While, the other 4 players (3 blockers & 1 pivot) on their team are trying to prevent the other teams jammer from getting through the pack.
Its grassroots & full of fun. It’s loud. The sound tech needs some hearing aides. There are many personalities to entertain –the announcers (3 of ‘em), each team has atleast one mascot (some have 3) to razz the crowd.
All of the players have spoof game names/​numbers: 24⁄7 Pia Mess, 40oz Sake Bomb & 666 Selma Soul to name a few.
This season they arehaving matches in numerous locations: Key Arena, Magnuson Park: Hanger 27, & Qwest Event Center: WaMu Theater.
This is a family friendly event, but should you just be the mood to watch the girls race & drink some brews there is a cage for ya! So as not to scare the kiddies. Do –bring some EAR PLUGS, they are not always available at the event (events are held monthly –with some special events in between).
This is a fast growing sport with leagues all over the country & in our backyard (Everett, Bellingham & Olympia to name a few in the area). Most metroplisis, metropolii… BIG CITIES in the states have a league. Come out & support a WINNING Seattle sports team that is not made up of millionaires.