24 products

Roller Derby Jerseys — Officially Licensed Throwbacks

Officially licensed roller derby apparel: the San Francisco Bay Bombers, the Los Angeles Thunderbirds and the whole banked-track roster. Custom name and number free, sizes S–5XL.

Roller derby gave American sports some of its most fearless stars and its most unmistakable uniforms, and almost nobody makes the gear anymore. Royal Retros does. This is officially licensed roller derby apparel — two dozen designs spanning the sport's golden age, from the legendary San Francisco Bay Bombers to the many eras of the Los Angeles Thunderbirds and the touring teams that skated against them. Jerseys are $84.99 (a couple of specialty pieces a little more), a soft tee runs $29.99, and everything comes in a full size run from S through 5XL with no big-and-tall upcharge. Add your own name and number to a jersey for free. If you grew up watching the banked track on Saturday afternoons, this is your shop.

What you can shop

  • Roller derby jerseys — two dozen team designs, most $84.99, in period-correct colors and lettering. Sizes Small through 5XL, free custom name and number on most.
  • Roller derby tees — soft team T-shirts at $29.99, S through 5XL, in a range of colorways.
  • Multiple eras of the marquee teams — the Los Angeles Thunderbirds are offered in distinct 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1989–1993 designs, and the Bay Bombers in both their 1965 and 1970 looks.

Teams include the San Francisco Bay Bombers, Los Angeles Thunderbirds, New York Chiefs, New York Bombers, Detroit Devils, Chicago Hawks, Texas Outlaws, Florida Jets, Philadelphia Warriors, Honolulu Hawaiians, Midwest Pioneers, Western Renegades, Latin Liberators, Atlantic Cats, Tri-City Bucks, Jersey Jolters, the Tokyo Bombers, the Australian Kangaroos and Team Canada. We list only what we actually stock.

Sizes, fit and customization

Every jersey and tee is offered from S through 5XL at one price per style, with no big-and-tall surcharge. Jerseys accept a free custom name and number — put your own on the banked track. Because a customized jersey is made to order, custom items are final sale; blank jerseys and tees ship as standard orders. Standard products typically ship within 3–5 business days and customized jerseys within 7–10. Each product page carries its own size chart.

Why buy roller derby gear from Royal Retros

  • Officially licensed. Real roller derby apparel, produced under proper licensing.
  • Depth no one else has. Two dozen teams across both classic promotions, in multiple eras.
  • Free customization. Your name and number on a jersey at no extra charge.
  • Inclusive sizing. S through 5XL, no big-and-tall upcharge.
  • Period-correct design. Colors, lettering and logos drawn from the real uniforms.

Quick buying FAQ

Are these officially licensed? Yes. Royal Retros' roller derby apparel is produced under proper licensing.

What sizes do you carry? S through 5XL on virtually every product.

Can I add my name and number? Yes, free on most jerseys. Customized jerseys are final sale.

How fast does it ship? Standard products typically ship within 3–5 business days; customized jerseys within 7–10.

The story behind the jerseys

Roller derby is a contact sport on skates, and for a few decades it was one of the most-watched shows on American television. Its uniforms came from two rival promotions — and knowing which is which makes the collection make sense.

What was roller derby's golden age?

Roller derby began in 1935 as a banked-track endurance event and grew into a fast, physical, theatrical spectacle that drew huge television audiences from the 1950s through the 1970s. Teams of five skated a banked oval, with a "jammer" scoring points by lapping opponents while blockers threw hips and elbows to stop them. The personalities were as big as the hits, and the team identities — bold color blocks, block lettering, wild logos — produced some of the most distinctive uniforms in 20th-century sports.

Who were the San Francisco Bay Bombers?

The San Francisco Bay Bombers, established in 1954, are the most fabled team in the sport's history — the flagship of Leo Seltzer's original Roller Derby. Their roster reads like a hall of fame: Charlie O'Connell, Ann Calvello, and Joan "Joanie" Weston, who was named captain of the Bombers in 1965, skated on nineteen straight all-star teams, and was the highest-paid female athlete in America through the 1960s and '70s. The Bombers' orange-and-black is the single most recognizable look in roller derby, and both the 1965 and 1970 versions live in this collection.

Who were the Los Angeles Thunderbirds?

The Los Angeles Thunderbirds — the "T-Birds" — were the dominant team of Roller Games, a rival promotion launched in Los Angeles in 1961 by skaters who chose not to follow the original Roller Derby to San Francisco. For decades the T-Birds were the home team of Southern California's banked track, facing a rotating cast of touring opponents. Because the Thunderbirds ran so long and evolved their look so often, the collection carries them in distinct 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and early-1990s designs — a mini-history of the franchise in jerseys.

The touring teams and international rivals

Roller Games built its shows around a colorful roster of opponents for the Thunderbirds, and many of them are here: the New York Chiefs, Detroit Devils, Chicago Hawks, Texas Outlaws, Florida Jets, Philadelphia Warriors, Honolulu Hawaiians, Midwest Pioneers, Western Renegades and Latin Liberators, plus international sides like the Tokyo Bombers, the Australian Kangaroos and Team Canada. The two great promotions never crowned a shared champion — Roller Derby and Roller Games kept their distance and only occasionally skated head to head — but between them they created the entire visual language of the sport, and that is what this collection preserves.

What Makes Ours Period-Correct

Construction and accuracy. Era-correct fonts, colors and construction, checked against period references before anything goes live.

Extended FAQ

Do you carry both the Bay Bombers and the Thunderbirds? Yes — the Bombers from the original Roller Derby and the Thunderbirds from Roller Games, along with the touring teams that skated against the T-Birds.

Why are there several different Los Angeles Thunderbirds jerseys? Because the franchise lasted for decades and changed its look. We offer the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1989–1993 designs so you can pick the era you remember.

Can I wear a roller derby jersey casually? Absolutely — the bold colors and lettering make them some of the best everyday throwback tops around, on or off the track.

Shop related collections

Shop officially licensed Roller Derby apparel at Royal Retros — Bay Bombers, Thunderbirds and more, custom name and number free, sizes S–5XL.