The game ‘Quidditch’ made famous by Harry Potter author J.K Rowlings, is set to have a rebrand.
The game soon to be formerly known as ‘Quidditch’ is getting a makeover. In a move to create some distance from the author’s continued transphobia, the game is undergoing a significant name change, from Quidditch to Quadball.
Quadball. Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, but what would be better? Nerdball? Dorkball? Excommunicadoball? I dunno, the options are endless. Puns aside, we are huge Potter fans, and it would have to have cut the author to the quick hearing that the game she created for the Potter series has grown up, left home, and changed its name, kinda like Elon Musks’ dad and daughter moment last month when his 18-year-old daughter petitioned a California court to change her name to lose any association with her father. It’s gotta hurt.
Goss aside, two of the sport’s governing bodies cite two reasons for the name change. In a statement released via NBC news, they shared that the first reason was part of an effort to distance themselves from the works of J.K. Rowling, who has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years.
Secondly, the name “quidditch” is trademarked by Warner Bros., and, as a result, the sport’s broadcast and sponsorship opportunities have been limited. Fair enough.
The new name came from a survey conducted among players and fans. Quadball actually refers to the number of balls used to play the sport and the number of positions.
The governing body for the U.S. has already adopted its new name, while Major League Quidditch said it would change the name after the 2022 MLQ Championship in August.
“In less than 20 years, our sport has grown from a few dozen college students in rural Vermont to a global phenomenon with thousands of players, semi-pro leagues and international championships,” Mary Kimball, executive director of U.S. Quadball, said in a statement. “Our organizations are committed to continuing to push quadball forward.”
