DISASSOCIATING

Two Real-World Quidditch Groups Will Change Name Over J.K. Rowling’s Transphobia

The two groups also hope the name change will open the door to more sponsorships and broadcast opportunities.

The two top real-world, Harry Potter-inspired Quidditch organizations in the U.S. will seek to change their name in part over author J.K. Rowling’s transphobic comments, they announced this week. In a joint press release, U.S. Quidditch and Major League Quidditch cited their push for gender equality (including an in-game rule that no more than four of the same gender can be on a team) as a countermeasure to Rowling’s “anti-trans” remarks. “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,” the two said. Other reasons for the rebrand include the desire to expand into different sponsorships and broadcast ventures, something handicapped by Warner Bros’ ownership over the “quidditch” trademark. The two groups will commission a survey for input on their new names.

Quidditch is a fictional game in the Harry Potter universe in which two teams aboard broomsticks try to get balls through ring-shaped goalposts for points. A real-life version of the game incorporating rugby, dodgeball, and lacrosse was started in Vermont in 2005.