Quidditch leagues rebrand as quadball, looking forward to future

Abracadabra, quidditch has a new name.

As part of an effort to distance itself from “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, the International Quidditch Association (IQA) and US Quidditch (USQ) have rebranded to drop the name “quidditch” and instead will be known as “quadball.” 

US Quidditch renamed itself Major League Quadball (MLQ).

“The IQA is very excited to be joining USQ and MLQ in changing the name of our sport and supporting this change across our members worldwide,” IQA Board of Trustees Chair Chris Lau said Tuesday in a statement. 

“We are confident in this step, and we look forward to all the new opportunities quadball will bring. This is an important moment in our sport’s history, and I personally am thrilled to be a part of it. I would also like to thank USQ and MLQ for working to make this happen, and, in particular, Mary Kimball for being a great partner to navigate these waters together.”

Major League Quadball founders Ethan Sturm and Amanda Dallas released a separate statement on their website.

“Of course, we did not make this name change lightly. Quadball is the result of thousands of surveyed stakeholders all across the world, hundreds of volunteer hours, tens of discussions with legal teams and the collaborative efforts of MLQ and USQ,” the letter stated in part. 

“No one person or organization owns the future of quadball, and it was vitally important to us, as well as to USQ, that the entire community would leave its mark on this momentous change.”

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The IQA noted two reasons to change the name: Rowling’s comments on transgender people and Warner Bros.’ ownership of the trademark for quidditch, which has limited the sport’s expansion. The IQA compared the move to ultimate frisbee dropping the term “frisbee” because it is a trademark owned by Wham-O toy company, which invented the frisbee.

The sport is based on the fictional game in the “Harry Potter” series. Alex Benepe and Xander Manshel were credited with bringing the sport to life in Middlebury, Vermont. The game has grown to the extent there is a US Quidditch Cup and an IQA World Cup.