Visually Communicating in a Roller Rink

Show and tell skaters what’s going on.

Of all the rinks I’ve visited, less than a handful have installed signs that visually tell skaters what activity is underway on the floor at that moment. Years ago, in roller skating’s heyday, nearly all rinks had a light up sign board to alert skaters of what direction, what special, or activity was occurring on the floor. For whatever reason, these signboards disappeared and were not replaced. A most likely reason was that it was hard to find replacement parts, when they stopped working.

Why signs are necessary

I haven’t seen any light up sign boards in decades, and I scratch my head as to why. Roller skating rinks are much like a highway. Can you imagine driving through a major metropolitan area on the interstate, and there are no exit signs? Just on and off ramps. Or notice of “Do not Enter” or “One-way streets?” You’d have to figure it out on your own. While there are no announcers on the highway, there are helpful signs to help with navigation. And we need to go back to yesteryear on getting signage back in to skating rinks. There’s a reason why they were there. They kept the flow of traffic moving, and made it safer for everyone.

Use your screens wisely

Currently, a lot of roller rinks already have giant screens hooked up on the rink floor. However, they are being used to showcase music videos, or skating influencers doing a bunch of tricks. One rink builder told me he was going to budget $40K for floor-to-ceiling TV screens on the skate floor to show music videos. I suggested he save his money, and here’s why.

Videos are a distraction and skaters should be focused on what’s in front of them – not looking at videos screens while they are on the floor. And what value do these videos bring anyway? Skating rinks are not bars, or bowling alleys. People have wheels under their feet. Plus, these videos come with added costs the rink, because they’re an up-charge from music suppliers. They really are unnecessary in a roller skating rink.

Instead, use those big beautiful monitors to display easy-to-read signage that the DJ changes for each activity, celebratory announcements, or to clear the floor, etc. Some rink owners think this is not necessary. However, for those skaters whose home rink offers this, they don’t like visiting other rinks that don’t. They want to know what’s going on. Because:

1. They’re having fun and socializing. They are not paying that close of attention to the DJ’s announcements. Sorry. That’s just a fact of life.
2. For skaters who are hard of hearing, this is a must. They can feel the beat, but can’t understand what the DJ is saying.
3. A good skating rink doesn’t stop the fun, and that means skill-building activities during the public sessions. This could include limbo, races, reverse skate, jailbreak, glow skate, and others. Signage reminds skaters of these “specials.”
4. It adds atmosphere and personalization
5. These light up signs provide clear instructions on what direction to skate.

Digitize your Screens

Today’s signage is so much better than what rinks used in the past. Now that we have Canva, and PowerPoint to help animate them, give them fun colors, and graphics.

Tips to Customize your Signs

1. Less is more. Don’t go overboard on too many colors, fonts, animations, or words. It’s not a novel. It’s a sign to inform, not distract. When using color, choose no more than 3. Professional artists and graphic designers should know this.
2. Try to avoid a white background. It’s harsh and glaring when the lights are off, especially for a glow skate.
3. Be extremely careful of using licensed images and trademarked phrases. Don’t be using “Super Bowl” or “Final Four” to promote anything in your business.
4. Choose easy to read fonts, and avoid script. It’s not a wedding invitation.
5. Have the DJs personalize slides for Birthday stars.
6. Promote upcoming events and specials, like “shuffle skate in 3 songs….”

And at the end of the session, you can remind guests to return their skates to the rental counter and “Please tuck in your laces.”

Remember to communicate visually with your skaters, and help keep the traffic flowing in the right direction. Use your large digital screens to inform and promote. It shows you understand, and care.