Building the Future of Roller Hockey: Growth, Sustainability, and the Grassroots Dilemma

Roller hockey in America is at a crossroads. The sport has passionate players, a dedicated community, and undeniable momentum. But real, lasting growth is impossible without a strong grassroots foundation. More club teams, more rinks, better youth programs, increased access to gear—these are essential. Without them, roller hockey remains an underground movement rather than a mainstream force.

The question isn’t just, “How do we grow roller hockey?”—we’ve asked that before. The real question is: “How do we make big progress while making grassroots hockey sustainable and self-sufficient?”

The Infrastructure Challenge: What’s Holding Us Back?

Growth in any sport follows a simple equation: Access + Awareness + Culture = Long-Term Success. Without access (rinks, teams, equipment), awareness (marketing, mainstream visibility), and culture (youth development, local heroes, pro influence), expansion stalls.

Ice hockey has built its empire on structure—rinks in nearly every city, club teams at every age group, and a professional system that feeds back into the grassroots level. Roller hockey, despite its lower costs and accessibility, lacks that level of infrastructure. Too often, roller rinks disappear due to city neglect or lack of financial sustainability. Too often, youth programs don’t materialize because no one takes the lead. The sport is full of potential but operates in survival mode.

So how do we break this cycle?

A New Approach to Sustainability

Instead of just focusing on more—more rinks, more teams, more programs—we need to focus on better, smarter, and sustainable growth. This means:

• Community-Led Facilities

• Cities won’t always invest in roller hockey unless there’s proof of demand. If municipal support isn’t there, clubs, businesses, and even crowdfunded initiatives can create pop-up rinks or revive underused spaces. If local skateparks can thrive through grassroots funding, why not roller hockey?

• Club Teams That Create Fans, Not Just Players

• Too many club teams focus only on competing, but a true club should be a cultural hub—offering public skate sessions, hosting tournaments, and engaging local schools. It’s not just about training elite players; it’s about making roller hockey a visible, desirable part of the community.

• More ‘Learn to Play’ Programs at the Right Entry Point

• Ice hockey’s ‘Learn to Play’ programs are effective because they simplify access. Roller hockey should do the same. We don’t need to sell kids on full gear and travel teams from day one. We need pickup games, school partnerships, and cheap starter kits to make hockey as natural as basketball at the park.

• Retail That Feeds the Community

• Hockey shops should do more than sell equipment—they should be grassroots hubs. Look at how surf and skate shops have built lifestyle brands around their sports. Roller hockey stores should host events, sponsor local teams, and create the next generation of players and fans.

• Pro-Level Influence to Fuel Local Growth

• The TOP CHEEZ Mix’d Tapes Pro Tour is an example of how roller hockey can create stars that inspire new players. But those stars need to feed back into the grassroots—hosting camps, promoting local rinks, and making roller hockey a sport kids dream about playing.

Making It Self-Sufficient

Growth that depends solely on donations or outside funding is fragile. Roller hockey needs a system where rinks, teams, and programs generate their own revenue to reinvest. Some ideas:

• Club membership models—small monthly fees for unlimited rink access, similar to gyms.

• Corporate partnerships—brands outside the traditional hockey market getting involved.

• Youth league revenue-sharing—clubs reinvesting profits into rink maintenance and expansion.

• Events that double as fundraisers—camps, tournaments, and merch sales that directly fund the next facility or program.

The Big Picture: A Sport That Builds Itself

The ultimate goal? A system that grows without relying on outsiders to sustain it. If rinks generate revenue, clubs create culture, and grassroots programs bring in new players year after year, roller hockey doesn’t just grow—it thrives.

The challenge isn’t just getting more people on skates today. It’s creating a system that ensures they’ll always have a place to play.

So, the question remains: Who steps up first? Who takes the lead? Who turns passion into infrastructure?

That’s what will decide the future of the sport.

E