Major League Quidditch, the real-life semi-pro league inspired by the magical contests played by wizards in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels and their film adaptations, now has a new name. As of July 19, it's been known as Major League Quadball (MLQ).
The name change also applies to a second organization, U.S. Quidditch (USQ), which governs the sport overall. Distancing themselves from Rawling and her anti-trans sentiments is among the reasons for MLQ and USQ's switch.
In a statement, MLQ officials said that "changing the name of our sport opens unprecedented opportunities for growth, exposure and partnerships, and our league intends to take advantage of every last one to remain on the cutting edge of innovation and engagement."
The league had its first season in 2015 and now has 15 full franchises and one trial expansion franchise.
USQ and MLQ announced a renaming process last December. The organizations wanted both to disentangle itself from Warner Bros.' trademark of the name "quidditch," which curtailed sponsorship and expansion opportunities; and distance themselves from anti-trans statements made by Rowling over the last several years.
USQ officials said in December that their sport was "one of the most progressive in the world," citing its "Title 9 3/4" rule—named after the Hogwarts Express train platform—that prohibits gender-based restrictions and protects transgender and non-binary individuals. USQ rules prohibit more than four players who identify as the same gender at any point in a match.
See mlquadball.com/news/letters-from-founders .
