This year, we are marshalling more volunteers than ever to cover the WFTDA playoffs and championships.

We've delivered recaps, previews and live chat for Division 2 playoffs--and we're planning to step it all up for Division 1. For each of those tournaments, we're going to have between three and six volunteers on the ground making coverage of the tournaments as good as it can be. We've heard what you want, and we're working hard to bring it to you.

All this doesn't come cheap. We love what we do and everyone involved gives their time freely to bring you this coverage -- but there are significant costs. Hosting, web services, roaming mobile internet access, hotels, bus or plane tickets, and of course tournament access -- it all adds up for our writers and photographers.

Most of our budget this year is being spent on long-overdue development and upgrades -- if you want to get an idea of the scale of our ambition, go take a look at the new Derbylife, launched during Division 2 playoffs -- as well as a host of other behind-the-scenes things to make DNN better and more useful for you.

But that makes it difficult for us to cover the costs of playoffs which would otherwise come mostly out of the pockets of our volunteers -- and that’s everyone here, from the top down.

So we’re asking you to chip in and help us out with funding playoffs. Our goal is simply to help offset some of those costs, so our volunteers aren’t paying more to work all weekend to bring you the coverage you want than they would be to sit on the sidelines, drink beer and heckle.

What's in it for you? Firstly, knowing that you're helping provide quality, independent roller derby coverage. That will include first-hand reporting, top-quality photography, and the chance for you to interact with us and each other as the events are going on. Also, all of our 2013 Playoffs recaps will be released under a Creative Commons license because if you're going to help fund them, the least we can do is let you use them! This means that you can take them for your league website, remix them by adding your own quotes or your own league slant or however else you please, and all you have to do is link back to us and give us credit for the original reporting, and let other people use your copy if they want it under the same terms..

We also have some rewards on offer, if you want ‘em. When we ran our reader survey earlier this year, many of you said that you wanted every cent you sent us applied to site operations--and we appreciate that! You absolutely have the option of donating any amount you like and knowing it’s being spent on DNN’s day-to-day expenses. We won’t make you take anything ... except for a personal phone call to say thanks, if you leave a number. Hell, find Lex or Beck in person, and we’ll ramp up our funny foreign accents and improve your voicemail message.

But if you prefer something tangible, we can do that too. Donate over $20 and we’ll send you a hand-written postcard from your choice of tournament location to say thanks (we don’t guarantee the handwriting, but we do guarantee our gratitude!). Feeling a bit more flush? We’ve commissioned a VERY limited edition Road to Champs 2013 t-shirt--designed by the uber-talented Lil’ Jon and made by our awesome friends at Skate Geek--so that you can show everyone that you’ve helped out. You can choose this reward if you donate $50 or more.

We did briefly think about offering exclusive or early-access content to those of you who are kind enough to help out, but you know … that’s just not how we roll. We want everything we do--especially when it’s a product of community support--to be available to everyone, irrespective of their ability to pay. That is how we have always operated, and it's how we always will operate.

And rest assured--every single dime, nickel and cent of your money will go to covering out-of-pocket expenses for people volunteering their time to produce your coverage, and to keeping the platform they're delivering it from operational while they do it.

Thank you.