Derby on CBS

Roller Derby debuted on New York television starting on November 29, 1948, when it began a 13-week run on CBS-TV. This was long before TVs were popular but ultimately saved Derby from extinction. Broadcasts could be seen in bars and storefront windows, and the medium made it seem as though the underwhelming crowds were actually packing venues from wall to wall.

Popular Once Again

Spectators soon turned out in droves for the sport, boosting crowds from the low hundreds to five- or seven-thousand at a time. In June 1949, Seltzer managed to secure an appearance at Madison Square Garden in front of 55,000 people over the course of five days.