Roller Derby

Went to my second Minnesota Roller Girls "bout" last nite, and gotta tell ya, if you can possibly imagine a combination of WWE and pee wee football that is hip, kitschy and simultaneously quality athletic competition, this is what it would be. You can't help but become strangely attracted to these women (particularly Jawbreaker) while also respecting them as athletes (and to some extent fearing them as well). My wife also has these feelings, but these are primarily geared towards Chris Leak and Jeff Samarzjda.

Roller Derby leagues I think are ripe for serious investment that the PBA and Minor League Baseball professional leagues have experienced. The PBA was purchased a few years back by a pair of ex-Microsoft employees who have grown revenue (though profitability has still been limited). Similarly, two Stanford business school students recently purchased several minor league teams in California to form the Golden Baseball League - receiving significant venture funding as well as a big sponsorship deal with Safeway Grocery.

Roller Derby has all the elements: cultish+fanatical audiences that are loyal (i.e. regular paying patrons), colorful characters, family friendly atmosphere, hip/kitsch factor, sponsor friendly opportunities, plenty of merchandising revenue options (t-shirts, calendars, etc.) and low operating costs. Would love to be involved in the league management if someone is willing to pony up the bucks (too lazy/dumb to fundraise for this myself).