What’s all this “Battle for the Bean” buzz a *bout*?

The Ithaca League of Women Rollers (ILWR) is partnering with Coffee Mania and Gimme! Coffee for its first-ever intraleague bout on Sunday, May 16, at the J. M. McDonald Sports Complex in Cortland, the league’s springtime home track.

For this special one-time event the two ILWR teams, the SufferJets and BlueStockings, will be ground and re-blended to form two high-octane teams—Team Gimme! and Team Coffee Mania. Same skaters, same game, new rosters, different uniforms. Whether you wear Gimme! red or Mania purple, you’ll be able to cheer for your favorite ILWR skaters as these one-time teammates turn on each other for this special event—the Battle for the Bean. Come and enjoy free coffee tastings, learn more about how beans are roasted, and find out which of these two local coffee houses will take home the Big Bean.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and the first whistle blows at 5:00 for this Sunday evening event. Tickets are $10 for adults. Kids aged 12 and under are admitted for free. Tickets for this bout and the entire 2010 season are now available through the league’s newly designed website, http://www.ithacarollerderby.com. Tickets are also available at the Ticket Center at Center Ithaca on the Ithaca Commons. Spirited music will be played by the Ithaca College Pep Band and official ILWR DJs Bob and Luke. For information on riding the ILWR Fan Van from Ithaca to Cortland, e-mail events@ithacarollerdery.com.

Join us for this special Sunday roller derby extravaganza! The J. M. McDonald Sports Complex is located at 4292 Fairgrounds Drive in Cortland. Join your favorite skaters after the bout for more fun and music at the Darkhorse in downtown Cortland.

A portion of the evening’s proceeds will support the Women’s Opportunity Center of Ithaca. This bout is generously sponsored by Gimme! Coffee and Coffee Mania in addition to our season-long sponsors.