About Michi-chan
Since 1984, Michelle (Michi) Bradley (aka “Michi-chan”, fka Michelle Eyre) been doing audio and later video entertainment, originally through recordings over phone lines and then eventually through YouTube.
From 2007~2010, Michi-chan was a staple at the amateur women’s flat track roller derby events (called “bouts”) held at various venues in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Michi was best known for her red plaid wardrobe and would use a video camera to record the bout action as well as the fans that bring an interesting diversity of people out for a night of derby. Michi’s involvement in roller derby sometimes went beyond just roller journalism, such as being the “super fan” as well as sometimes getting involved in the presentation:
Many of the derby leagues welcomed Michi and had given her significant “inside” access that resulted in some very well created and sometimes very hard journalism about the game. Michi had full control over the narrative. This resulted in a video series called The Arizona Derby Report which would be renamed later to Michi-chan’s Real Derby in order to recognize the expansion of the sport outside of it’s “second birthplace” of Arizona.
Many of the classic Michi-chan roller derby videos can be found on the older Michelle Eyre YouTube channel.
There is also a Spotify playlist of many of the songs that were used in the Michi-chan productions. Many of the songs are Japanese pop songs from REC’s streaming radio stations, currently known as J1 Radio. There is also Michi-FM, which plays a mix of classic 70s/80s hits and music that is “slightly off the deep end”, including many of the songs played in the derby productions. Michi-FM is the official soundtrack of Michi’s life.
Michi has a serious side too…
While there has been an “entertainment” side of Michi, she is also the founder of REC Networks, which, in addition to producing creative content over the past 40+ years, continues to this day as a major player in the advancement of community-based smaller FM broadcast stations, which involves regulatory advocacy directed at the Federal Communications Commission. Michi also provides professional services to all FM broadcast stations for assistance in determining spectrum availability and providing FCC application filing services. Michi also gives a lot of advice. She is recognized as the leading subject matter expert on the Low Power FM (LPFM) radio service.
Michi admires the efforts of Jesse Cole, founder of The Savannah Bananas and Banana Ball. Michi, like Cole, sees sports also as entertainment that needs to put the fans first. Michi’s fans first attitude predates Cole by nearly two decades.
Michi is always looking for gigs.
About Michi-chan Sports
Michi-chan Sports is the rebirth of Michi-chan Roller Sports Productions and is Michi’s return to sports writing and presentation from an entertaining perspective. Where the “serious” sports sites focus on the “major leagues” of everything, Michi-chan Sports will focus on those events that are not necessarily in the mainstream, but are worth a look. In addition to Banana Ball, Michi has strong interests in the Jomboy Media Warehouse Games, the sport of Cricket and, as being a dual citizen of the US and Ireland, Gaelic games such as Hurling, Camogie, Gaelic Football and Rounders. There is still a huge place in her heart for amateur flat-track and banked-track roller derby and there will always be a place for it at Michi-chan Sports.
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