WFTDA Signs Deal With ESPN2 to Televise 2017 Championship Game

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) has signed a contract with ESPN2 to deliver the 1st place game of the 2017 International WFTDA Championships hosted by Philly Roller Derby in Philadelphia, PA, on Sunday, Nov. 5.

The ESPN2 telecast marks the first time women’s flat track roller derby will appear live on a national sports network in the U.S., further solidifying the expansion of the sport of flat track roller derby, founded in 2004 by the WFTDA.

“Women’s flat track roller derby is a dynamic, revolutionary sport that has been developed by athletes and countless amazing volunteers across several continents,” says Erica Vanstone, WFTDA Chief Media Officer. “The WFTDA has worked hard to develop action-packed, high-quality broadcasts of our top-level games for roller derby fans around the globe, and the opportunity to work with ESPN allows us to continue to share this exciting sport with thousands of viewers across the nation.”

The first two days of the tournament, Nov. 3 and 4, and the first three games on Sunday, Nov. 5 will be available via pay-per-view on WFTDA.tv. Outside of the U.S., viewers will be able to access all of the 2017 International WFTDA Championships through their purchased Non-U.S. WFTDA.tv watch pass.

Since 2012, the WFTDA broadcast team has been presenting high-quality productions and exciting matchups through its online portal, WFTDA.tv. This team will produce the ESPN2 content, showcasing the revolutionary athleticism WFTDA roller derby offers. The content will be available streaming live and on-demand via the ESPN App for 30 days after the event.