roll the pitch
Preparing audiences for an unpopular change.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The manager is rolling the pitch for the upcoming budget cuts.”
“Our teacher rolls the pitch before giving us a very difficult homework assignment.”
“He rolls the pitch by mentioning the bad news slowly to his family.”
“Before announcing the new office rules, the director spent weeks rolling the pitch to ensure the staff would not be too upset.”
“The government is rolling the pitch for the new tax by talking about how much the local hospitals need more funding.”
“The airline started rolling the pitch for higher baggage fees by explaining the rising costs of fuel to all their customers.”
“The tech company rolls the pitch for the app's price increase by highlighting all the new features they recently added.”
“By leaking small details about the restructuring, the executive effectively rolled the pitch for the radical policy changes that would soon follow.”
Derived from the sport of cricket, where the pitch is prepared by rolling it flat before a match begins. The phrase records the specific physical maintenance required to ensure the playing surface is suitably conditioned for the game ahead.
- 01
call roll
To make a roll call; to take attendance.
- 02
dice roll
Something unpredictable or unexpected.
- 03
fever pitch
Extreme excitement.
- 04
heads will roll
Some people will be fired for incompetence.
- 05
pitch in
To help out; lend assistance; contribute; to do one's part to help.
- 06
queer someone's pitch
To make a task more difficult for someone.
- 07
ready to roll
Of a person, machine, vehicle, or plan, fully prepared to begin functioning and operating.
- 08
roll back the years
To produce a sense of nostalgia.
Last updated August 10, 2026