Quidditch Canada to Initiate Sport Name Change in January 2023

Quidditch Canada is strongly in support of National Governing Organizations across the world that have initiated and taken up the change of our sport’s name. 

The name change efforts spearheaded by US Quadball (USQ) and Major League Quidditch (MLQ), with the support of the International Quidditch Association, come in response to legitimate concerns raised regarding the sport’s name. 

First, J.K. Rowling’s continued anti-trans remarks – well documented by 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy organizations such as GLAAD – are contrary to our sport’s values, which is designed on a premise of gender inclusivity. We also take seriously the concerns of cultural appropriation regarding some of Rowling’s recent publications, raised by Indigenous scholars and activists such as Dr. Adrienne Keene. Quidditch Canada, like other governing bodies for our sport, seriously considers the harms to inclusivity presented by our continued affiliation with the Harry Potter series.

Second, the trademark for “Quidditch” is owned by the Warner Bros. film and entertainment company. This presents limits on our organization’s opportunity to pursue sponsorship and licensing agreements that will enable our sport’s continued growth. 

When USQ & MLQ announced the pursuit of a name change in December 2021, Quidditch Canada consulted with our membership to determine what next steps would need to be taken to ensure our members’ needs and interests were prioritized. We want to provide ample notice for our members to ensure that the change in name has minimal impact on individual programs’ recruitment. We also want to honour our commitments to our bid winners for the upcoming 2022 Fall Season, whose bids were secured prior to the global name change announcement. Therefore, Quidditch Canada will be waiting until the conclusion of the National Championship – to be held in Edmonton, AB this December, 2022, before initiating a name change process. 

“We will continue to prioritize our members’ needs, interests, and values as we pursue a name change process in the best interests of our community and our sport,” says QC Executive Director Yara Kodershah. “We feel that a gradual transition will best support our programs across the country, and ensure we maintain positive relationships with our incredible city partners.”