Changing the Rules

Jerry wanted to implement a handful of new rules. Under his reign, skaters were required to wear helmets for the first time, and jammers’ helmets were made easier to spot for the sake of TV-friendliness. Other developments in the 1960s included profit-sharing and annual contracts for skaters who had previously been holding day jobs to make ends meet.

New Heights

By the end of the 1960s, Roller Derby had reached new heights of popularity thanks to a 120-station television network. Fans came out to support teams by the thousands, once again regularly selling out arenas like Madison Square Garden, Boston Garden, and Kiel Auditorium. In 1969, Derby viewership peaked with approximately 15 million viewers per week.