Ever since 2020 when JK Rowling was embroiled in a Twitter controversy over her alleged transphobic remarks, many Potterheads distanced themselves from her. Earlier last week, two of the biggest Quidditch teams in America (Major League Quidditch and US Quidditch) announced their decision to change their names in an attempt to “Distance themselves from the works of J.K. Rowling who has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions in recent years”. This is also being done to solve trademark issues associated with the term Quidditch that is owned by Warner Bros studio.
MLQ and @usquidditch are working together to change the name of the game – literally. 🤯
Learn more about the decision and take the next steps to make your voice heard: 🔗 https://t.co/lNFq12uDfx pic.twitter.com/UArrsnZN1j
— Major League Quidditch (@MLQuidditch) December 16, 2021
The trademark ownership by Warner Bros has limited the USQ and MLQ’s access to equipment, broadcasting rights, and sponsorships. In their statement, the teams said that they will “conduct a series of surveys over the next few months to guide a decision on the new name”. The new name is likely to be revealed by January 2022.
They also added that, “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. 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.”
While some people have supported this move, others have accused the team of being “over woke” and being motivated by profit-making.
Can I suggest ‘Wokeball’?
21st century response to disagreeing with someone;
Try and cancel them, but steal their creation by pretending it’s something else?Why don’t you really stand up for you convictions and just stop playing it? Or would that inconvenience you?
— Group Captain Cheese (@Haggisontoast) December 20, 2021
“We don’t support JKR so we wanna distance ourselves from her buuut we still wanna profit off of her creation, so we’re just gonna change the name.” Seriously. If you actually wanted to take a stand that means something, you’d quit playing the game completely. This means nothing.
— Marty (@prettiestcapt) December 21, 2021
I can see the name change in order to get more money (broadcast and sponsoring rights) but to argue Rowling was transphobic is hilarious.
— becauseofyou (@because21149293) December 21, 2021
LETS GOOOOO ITS ABOUT TIME
— the codester ☭ (@codonodo) December 16, 2021
Don’t we have to call her She-who-must-not-be-named now?
— Noémi Szalai (@555NoemiSzalai) December 20, 2021
In the magical Harry Potter universe, Quidditch is played by flying on broomsticks, while in real world the game is played on a hockey sized field where seven players in both teams chase balls while running with broomsticks.
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