The sport inspired by “Harry Potter” is going full muggle.
US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch said in a joint news release that they will change their name, citing author J.K. Rowling’s outspoken views on transgender issues.
“The leagues are hoping a name change can help them continue to distance themselves from the works of J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, who has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years,” the statement said.
Rowling has stepped into the debate over trans rights multiple times, including a comment posted on Twitter last week criticizing Scottish police for allowing rape suspects to self-identify as female.
“Our sport 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,” the leagues’ statement said. “Both organizations feel it is imperative to live up to this reputation in all aspects of their operations and believe this move is a step in that direction.”
No new name was announced. The statement said they will “conduct a series of surveys over the next few months to guide a decision regarding the new name.”
The surveys are expected to be done by the end of January and include an online version for fans to submit. However, the leagues said they will retain their respective “USQ” and “MLQ” acronyms, suggesting the new name will begin with a “Q.”
The move, under discussion for a year, is also a business decision.
The leagues also noted that the name of the sport, which resembles field hockey but uses broomsticks, is also trademarked by Warner Bros., which “has limited the sport’s expansion, including but not limited to sponsorship and broadcast opportunities.”
“Both leagues expect that this name change will allow for new and exciting developments for our players, fans, and volunteers as the sport continues to grow,” the leagues’ statement said.
“I believe quidditch is at a turning point,” USQ Executive Director Mary Kimball said in the statement. “We can continue the status quo and stay relatively small, or we can make big moves and really propel this sport forward into its next phase. Renaming the sport opens up so many more revenue opportunities for both organizations, which is crucial to expansion.”
She said that joint ownership of a new trademark will enable the leagues to pursue sponsorships, major TV network broadcast deals “and other projects that’ll address some of the biggest barriers to playing the sport, like access to equipment.”