Well, we have almost made it through 2020, RollerCon friends. *whew*
General Updates
We feel very hopeful that RollerCon 2021 can happen. As I write this update, the news is full of articles about global and national leadership collaborating and rallying to fight the virus, wearing masks is more common, murder hornets are in the news a bit less, and several
very promising treatments, studies and vaccines are in the pipeline. It's been a hard, long year, but things may be starting to round the corner now! In the meantime, we're planning with as much normality as we can. But of course our crew has been affected by the virus. Things at RollerCon HQ have changed a lot. We've furloughed all our staff, so HQ is pretty much just Ivanna (that's me!) working with our volunteer managers and sponsors after hours right now.
But planning continues!
Right now we have TWO basic plans, and we'll be able to confirm which one to activate as we roll into Spring, maybe early Summer and get solid confirmation from Las Vegas Convention authorities that it's safe to host the event. As you know, we're not selling new tickets until we have that confirmation and some crucial details along with it - things the authority can't know until vaccines start getting distributed and we see how that affects lockdowns, tourism and travel.
So we're planning it both ways: Plan One = return to (contact) play. Plan Two is if its safe to congregate with limitations like more space and no contact sports. The two plans are pretty simple.
Plan One will look pretty familiar, if it's safe to have person-to-person contact and roller derby. The entire event will be in the Westgate (LVCC has planned closures for construction), and will include multiple tracks, rinks and this year TWO 187 Killer Pads skate parks - one exclusively for MVP passholders to take classes, and the other all day open skate (I'm pretty excited about that). But I don't have to tell you that the pandemic has evolved roller skating and got a lot of new skaters rolling. So we'll also have a lot more skate park, recreational, dance and rink skating at RollerCon 2021, and some brand new things cooking, as well!
Plan Two will activate if its safe to gather, but not yet safe for contact sports. We've been brainstorming a ton of great ideas for patient derby players waiting out the virus and also skaters of all disciplines! Our P2 plans include room to move around and lots of space, including non-contact classes in every skate discipline and some other pretty exciting things dreamed up by the smartest and most creative planners in our community. Westgate is 100% on board, as well, and is open to more outdoor shaded skating in formerly off-limits areas and more.
We hope to have good news by Spring, though it could be as late as early Summer. You'll know for sure because we will make a MASSIVE DEAL about it when we're ready to get rolling!!! Until then, PLEASE wear your mask, stay home when you can, and be diligent about safety. We can't wait to see you again!
Passes and Refunds
2021 NEW Pass sales are on hold.
Usually we start on Black Friday Wolfenoot, but 2020 had other plans for us. However, once we have confirmation that it will be safe to host groups, we will contact all the folks who rolled over their tickets from 2020 to confirm. We begin new ticket sales at that time.
2021 Pass Rollovers
If you rolled over your pass - thank you! We will confirm your 2021 pass *before* new passes go on sale for 2021. Check out more info in our newsletters as the situation develops. If you have changed your email address, you can update it here for future rollover confirmation (this will not update your newsletter email): UPDATE PASSHOLDER CONTACT INFO
RollerCon Pass Refunds
BPT has completed about 40% of the refunds, which is great. But that means 60% of people are still waiting. The problem is that ALL BPT events were cancelled for covid, so they have budgeted to refund a percentage of each event (not just ours) each week. They've prioritized ours! But because of the huge number of cancellations, that still only comes out to about +/-6 refunds per week. So it is going very slow. When I last checked, they were on 5/1 requests (and there were more than 300 that day). Their original estimates of 12 weeks then later 8 months to complete all refunds were too ambitious. By my estimates, it is going to be longer before 2020 refunds are completed. You can contact them at support@brownpapertickets.com but it may not help. Please try to be patient.
You might be wondering why RollerCon doesn't refund you, instead of BPT? Unfortunately, the way 3rd party ticket sellers work (which many of you know from bout ticket sales) is that the event organizer gets paid after the event happens. Our event didn't happen, so we do not have your ticket money, unfortunately.
Please keep your eyes on our MAIN GROUP for more updates.
Sponsor Info
No matter what 2021 brings, we've expanded our sponsor area and plan to offer larger booths without commensurate fee increases. We want you to have more space so that everyone feels more confident and safe. Part of our new plans also include some other changes you are going to love! But we're sitting on the details (impatiently) until we can announce for sure with a Plan One or Plan Two event map (see the General Updates for more info).
In the meantime, if you rolled over your vendor booth from 2020, thank you! Expect another email confirmation with booth choices options and more when we confirm RollerCon 2021 - we estimate that will be in Spring or Summer, once the LVCVA confirms safety protocols.
If you're a new sponsor interested in hosting a booth at RollerCon 2021, please join our Sponsor Mailing List for info on sponsorship as soon as it is released for 2021: https://tinyurl.com/RCsponsorlist
RollerCon Souvenirs
ROLLERCON STORE
Check out our new store updates! We've added all our past year shirts (in the limited quantities that are left, plus a few new designs you might not have seen!
We're not too proud to tell you that your shirt orders have really helped us cover the storage fees for all those tracks and ramps, and we can't thank you enough.
RollerCon Coaches in Your House!
Many of your favorite RollerCon coaches and sponsors have youtube channels or offer zoom, IG classes and more. Watch & learn in your own home! "Like" and "subscribe" toot sweet!
There is a new disaster on the news every day; Category 4+ hurricanes in the South, Superstorms in the East, wildfires burning up the West and Southwest, and every expert saying, "Get used to it. This is what climate
change really looks like." So what happens when it comes to your neighborhood, or one near you? Do you have the resources to help a skater and/or their family when they get evacuated? If it's you getting evacuated, do you have a plan?
Roller derby and the roller skating community have always been there for each other, opening our houses to visiting skaters, welcoming each other to our practices and taking each other to the skatepark. So maybe we can do the same for skaters that get evacuated. This is a skating community database for that purpose; a place where people could sign up to take someone in, separated by regions, filters and references.
We're currently working on the next iteration of this idea, but this g-form version is our foundation. Check in out if you're interested in finding out more. signing up, or getting info on how to get a homestay: https://tinyurl.com/sk8stay
Thank you for voting, US!
According to Bloomberg, at least 161 million Americans voted in the 2020 election, the largest number of voters in a U.S. presidential election in history! THANK YOU. Please keep it up!
We're still not over this poster art yet, though, so here's just one more. This art is by Maayan Alper-Swan is part of the Power to the Polls open call for art from women and gender non-conforming artists. Free downloads of super awesome inspiring voting art can be found at: Power to the Polls
❤THANK YOU❤to everyone who pitched in for expenses using ourTIP JAR, including all the generous anonymous donations, plus:
Your Mom
Yo mama Cradle
XF
Wrath
Why thank me? Thank you for the greatness RC has been!
Whiskey Smash
Wendy Belltolls
Vixenous V-Lo
Van
vader
Tris
The Tempissed
Tarminator
SureBlock Holmes
sNo & Skary B Cheezus
Snark Tank
Smack N Decker
Shiloh Schmidt
Scratch
Rose Blood
RollerCon Staff
Reed & D Cup
Red Hairring
Rebel @ DJRD
Reaver&Tidbit
Pushy Galore
PowerJamsvTalk Derby
Penny Painful
Organ Trail
Orange County Roller Derby
NukeHER
NINgirl Roxit
Neura
Nerdity
Napalm
N & G Fox
Mz Hyde
Money Honey
Melee
MeepMeep
Medics
Luna Shovegood & Choozy Doozy
Lil Pistol
Legs Benny
Legal 2000
Lady Die/Fox
ken osullivan track crew
Keep being awesome!
Katz-4-Play and the lost 2020 challenge of Doms vs subs
K Pau - PRD
Judy K8tor
Jammie Dodger
I love you Rollercon, I hope to see you next year
Holly Krampus
HippocraTEASE
High Tide Derby
Hedy LaScar
GRRRRRRRanny
Grandmaster Crash
Gem City Roller Derby
Galaxy Inferno
Fluxx
Flip
Fabulous Sin City Rollergirls
executie@rocktownrollers.com
Dubby
Dr. Sk8r Brains
Corona SLamHer
Chris Black
Chicago Knockouts Roller Derby
Cheeseburger
Check’r Vitals
Champ Unkind
Cereal CrusHer
Buffy Basher
Boobonic Plague
Bleed & Grant
BetenBoppin
Bacon, the hardest worker evah
Asstro Naughty and Maz KittyNata
Apollo Speed
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