The governing bodies of the ‘Harry Potter’ based sport Quidditch has decided to opt for a name change with it now known as Quadball, know its meaning
The decision stems from a desire to distance itself from Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling following her anti-transgender remark.
Quidditch Undergoes Name Change To Quadball To Dissociate Itself With Harry Potter Author JK Rowling, Know The New Name Meaning
The new name was chosen after they circulated a survey among fans and players. “Quadball” derives its name from the number of balls used for playing the sport and the number of positions.
The governing body for Quidditch in the U.S., U.S. Quidditch, changed its name effective immediately. Major League Quidditch, on the other hand, will adopt the new name following the August 2022 MLQ Championship.
Quidditch changing its name is funny because the irl game has to be heavily modified anyway to the point of barely being recognizable as the same game. Part of this is because of the lack of magic irl, but also the game as described in the book is just really poorly designed.
— Prime Minister DJ Cthulhu 🐙🎧 (@RealDJCthulhu) July 21, 2022
it’s funny to me that people actually play quidditch in real life. they hold brooms between their legs and run around a field. needlessly silly sport
— transgender marx (@JUNlPER) July 22, 2022
Harry Potter game based Real-life Quidditch changes its name to Quadball to sever ties with J.K. Rowling
Quidditch, the sport inspired by the wizarding game in the ‘Harry Potter’ books, will now be known as quadball, a name change meant in part to distance its governing bodies from author J.K. Rowling's views on transgender issues https://t.co/CwBz3rMMP1 pic.twitter.com/QyxUQGiadn
— Reuters (@Reuters) July 20, 2022
The International Quidditch Association announced on Tuesday that it is set on adopting the new name change worldwide.
Reasons for the name change
Last year, two major governing bodies of the sport, U.S. Quidditch and Major League Quidditch, announced that they planned to change the name. They cited two reasons for the change.
The first reason stated was that the name change 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, they stated that Warner Bros. trademarked the name “Quidditch”. As a result, the sport’s ability to secure broadcast and sponsorship opportunities has been very limited.
Mary Kimball, executive director of U.S. Quadball, made a statement.
Rowling’s anti-transgender statements that sparked the change
The leagues also noted in their statements that Rowling’s views have faced criticism from all corners. Three lead actors in the “Harry Potter” film series, LGBTQ advocacy groups, and the Human Rights Campaign have all criticised her remarks.
Rowling has frequently tweeted and written about transgender people in past years. In June 2020, she wrote a nearly 4,000-word blog post, which some critics called a “transphobic manifesto.”
In the post, Rowling raised bold questions about whether more young people have come out as transgender because of a “contagion” fueled by social media.
She also described her own experiences with domestic abuse and assault, using these reasons to state her concern about the safety of women and girls in bathrooms and changing rooms.
However, the Williams Institute under the UCLA School of Law found in a study that there is no evidence that letting transgender people use restrooms and other public facilities has led to an increase in safety risks.
The leagues have said that Rowling’s public statements run contrary to the sport’s commitment to inclusivity. U.S. Quidditch and Major League Quidditch said in December that Quidditch, now Quadball, has
developed a reputation as one of the most progressive sports in the world on gender equality and inclusivity, in part thanks to its gender maximum rule, which stipulates that a team may not have more than four players of the same gender on the field at a time.
Quidditch changes its name despite the risks associated with it
Xander Manshel and Alex Benepe adapted the real-life Quidditch game at Middlebury College in Vermont in 2005. The game resembles soccer and field hockey, but it is also a contact sport with broomsticks.
More than 600 teams in 40 countries now play Quidditch, so the change in name comes with a risk. When the leagues announced in December that the sport would change its name.
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