Roller Skating Association International News Newswire

ICEE Mid-Year Business Review for RSA Member Rinks

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

ICEE Mid-Year Business Review with James Carey

James Carey from the ICEE Company presented a mid-year business review for the RSA chain class (June 2025–June 2026):

RSA purchases are down just over 3% — but that's still outperforming the rest of the family entertainment segment.
Top-selling flavors for RSA members: Blue Raspberry (a whopping 50% of purchases), Cherry, and Cola — matching national FEC trends.
Fun fact from the Q&A: Red Cherry outsells White Cherry across the board nationwide.
Screamsicle will be available all October to support National Roller Skating Month, and 24-oz. color-changing cups are still available. Seasonal flavor swaps are an option, too.
Billy's testimonial: the Sour Patch flavor went on the fountain at his Indian Trail location a week and a half ago and is already the #1 seller.

Questions about ICEE, J&J Snack Foods, or Dippin' Dots? Reach out to James Carey at jcarey@jjsnack.com or 559-267-3008 (cell) / 916-375-7000 (office).

Tech & Innovation Committee Shares PDK System with RSA Members

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Tech & Innovation: Keyless Entry with the PDK System

The Tech & Innovation Committee this week premiered the first in a new series of quick tech videos, this week featuring the PDK key fob entry system with Derek Fitzgerald — a smart way to give vendors, roller derby teams, and dance groups access to your building without handing out physical keys or alarm codes. Highlights:

Each fob has its own login with customizable days and times
A full entry log plus optional phone/email alerts whenever a fob is used
Works on interior and exterior doors and integrates with alarm systems (Honeywell, ADT, and others)
Includes a phone app — so when the Pepsi or U.S. Foods delivery shows up and nobody's there, you can disarm the alarm and pop the door right from your phone
Replacement fobs cost about $5 — compare that to rekeying your doors!

For more information on this PDK key fob entry for your delivery drivers, contact Derek Fitzgerald at dofitzgerald@outlook.com. This is the first of a series of quick tech tip videos — more to come!

Music Licensing Deadlines are Important to Abide By

Mon, 18 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Pay Your Music Licensing On Time. Every Time.

Music licensing is one of those things that's easy to put off. The bill comes in, it gets set aside, life gets busy, and suddenly it's three weeks past due. No big deal, right? Wrong. This is one of the few bills in the rink business where being late can cost a lot more than a late fee — and rink owners need to take the deadlines seriously.

The licensing companies know exactly where you are

ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and GMR aren't guessing about which rinks are out there. They have comprehensive databases of every skating facility in the country. They know the name of the rink, the address, the owner, and whether the license is current. When a payment doesn't come in, they notice. Quickly.

What follows isn't a polite reminder card in the mail. It's phone calls. Repeated phone calls. To the rink, to the office, sometimes to the owner directly. And when the calls don't get a response, the next step is legal action — and the licensing companies win those cases.

Late payments don't just affect one rink

When rinks across the country start falling behind on licensing payments, the licensing companies don't just shrug it off. They ramp up enforcement industry-wide. That means more aggressive outreach, more audits, and more litigation aimed at your rink.

January 31st means January 31st

There's no gray area on these deadlines. If the bill says January 31st, the payment needs to be in by January 31st. Not February 3rd. Not "the first week of February." The 31st.

And here's the part a lot of owners miss: there's an internal deadline before the licensing company deadline. RSA has to receive payments early enough to process them and submit them to the licensing companies on time. If a rink waits until the last minute to send payment to RSA, the payment may not reach the licensing companies by their deadline — even if it left the rink before the due date on the bill. Missing the internal deadline creates real problems.

What to do

Build the licensing deadlines into the rink's calendar the same way property tax and insurance renewals are tracked. Pay early when possible. If cash flow is going to be a problem, get ahead of it — call before the deadline, not after. The licensing companies and RSA are far more willing to work with someone who's communicating in advance than with someone who's gone silent past the due date.

You can find all of the deadlines here (you will need to log into your membership account). They are staggered throughout the year to make it easier on rinks to pay.

The bottom line

Music is the product. Skating without music isn't really skating, and the right to play that music is what the licensing fees pay for. Keeping those licenses current protects the rink, protects the industry, and keeps the lawyers and collection calls out of the equation. Pay on time. Every time. The whole industry is better off when everyone does.

Don't Skip the Classified Section

Sun, 17 May 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Be honest — when's the last time you actually read the classified ads in the newsletter? A lot of folks scroll right past them. That's a mistake. The classifieds are quietly one of the most useful sections RSA publishes.

Here's what you're missing.

Rinks change hands here

Every week there are owners trying to sell, buyers trying to find a place, and operators looking to expand. Recent listings have included a 96-year-old rink in Burlington, Iowa, a 40-year-old facility in Shreveport, a Sacramento landmark with one of the largest skating floors in the world, and rinks in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and Washington. Some owners are open to creative deals — lease-to-own, partnerships, financing. A few are willing to stick around as consultants to help a new owner get their footing.

These deals don't usually show up on local commercial listings. They show up here first, because the people selling want their rinks to go to people who actually understand the business and will keep the skating rinks running for the community.

It works the other way, too

Looking to get into the industry? There are people posting that they're looking to buy. Need 200 pairs of rental skates because you're opening a new location? Someone's probably trying to offload exactly that. Got an old sound system collecting dust? List it. Looking for used skates to donate to a kids' program overseas? That's in there, too.

The classifieds are essentially a working bulletin board for the entire industry. The catch is that it only works if people are reading it.

There's something to learn even when you're not buying

The classifieds are worth a look even when nothing's on the table. They show what rinks are going for in different parts of the country, what upgrades owners are proud enough to mention in a listing, and what side revenue streams are actually paying off — laser tag, pickleball, event venues, cell towers, UPS lease income. That's real-world information about what's working in the field, and it's free.

It's how members help members

Listings for rinks for sale are free for RSA member rinks because we want to keep the skating rinks OPEN. Reading the classifieds, responding to them, or passing them along to someone who might be interested helps a fellow member at what's often a big moment — retiring, expanding, starting over, getting back in after years away. That kind of mutual support is what makes this organization different from a trade group that just sends out a magazine.

The ask

Spend five minutes with the classifieds next time the newsletter hits the inbox. Bookmark the page on the RSA website. You don't have to be buying or selling anything to get something out of it — but if you are, you'll be glad you looked.

Have something to list? Email Lynette Rowland at editor@rollerskating.com or call 317-347-2626 ext. 107. Member rinks for sale are free, other listings are $1 per word with a $25 minimum. Banner ads are also available for purchase by RSM members.

J&J Snack Foods Announces New Frozen Cookie Dough

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 04:00:00 GMT

James Carey from J&J Snack Foods announced this week about their frozen cookie dough line — which falls under the same portfolio as ICEE and Dippin' Dots. Download presentation here.

Here's what rink operators need to know:

Three tiers available: Traditional (good/cost-efficient), Supreme (better, adds butter blend), and Gourmet (best, primarily butter, maximum inclusions).
Pre-stamped pucks (not slabs): Consistent size and shape — no manual breaking required. Just sheet and bake.
Clean ingredients: No trans fats, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial flavors/colors.
Made in the USA: 15 manufacturing facilities and 3 distribution centers nationwide. Nothing imported.
Message cookies: Available in 7" (par-baked) and 12" (pre-baked) sizes — a potential birthday party upsell. Come undecorated; operators add icing and personalization.
How to order: Through broadline distributors (US Foods, Sysco, DOT) — not directly from the manufacturer.
Oven compatibility: Works with impinger/conveyor ovens and TurboChefs. Specific baking instructions available through J&J's internal system.
Display materials: Counter easels and tabletop displays available — contact James directly (not through your distributor).

Questions? Reach James at: JCarey@ICEE.com or JCarey@JJSnack.com

Fun stat from the presentation: 62% of U.S. adults still prefer chocolate chip, and adults consume an average of 21 cookies per year. Over 60% believe a cookie would turn a bad day around.

If you have any questions about the presentation given during the RSA Town Hall Meeting, reach out to James Carey at jcarey@jjsnack.com or 916-375-7000 or 559-267-3008