San Francisco Blog

Better than bread and circuses

One of the classical world's entertainment staples was gladiatorial combat, a blood sport that allowed mud-caked plebes to forget, however briefly, the squalor of their day-to-day lives. In modern times, as we noted in a news story last month, the blood sport known as roller derby -- it's amazing, in retrospect, that those resourceful Romans never thought about taking gladiatorial matches co-ed and putting contestants on wheels -- has filled a similar role.

Born during the Great Depression, roller derby reached the zenith of its popularity during World War II and, later, in the period of social unrest that accompanied the war in Vietnam. Over the past few years, the sport has gone through something of a rebirth. But this year, with the economy in the crapper, unemployment on the rise, and the prospect of bread lines no longer seeming quite so far-fetched, roller derby seems to be enjoying a new boost.

San Francisco Bay Bombers general manager Jim Fitzpatrick says the pro team's kickoff game against the Orlando Thunder in Kezar Stadium last month drew a crowd of just under 3,000, compared to average crowds of about 2,000 last year. One factor, Fitzpatrick believes, is the low cost of derby spectatorship: At $10 for adults and $5 for children, a Bombers game is easier on the wallet than an evening with the San Francisco Giants. "Because of the economy, we're keeping the prices really low," Fitzpatrick said.