Quadball, formerly known as Quidditch, brings championships to Maryland

BALTIMORE -- Major League Quadball returned to Maryland this weekend for the 2024 Championship, which featured 12 teams from across the U.S. and Canada. A team from New York took home the Benepe Cup on Sunday.

The game, formerly known as Quidditch, was made popular by the Harry Potter movies and book series. It then transformed from the page and screen to the field at Middlebury College in Vermont in 2005, which later expanded.

The league was founded in 2014 and now features 15 teams in various cities across the country and Canada.

"Over the last 10 years, us at MLQ have tried to create a sort of semi-prom version of the sport, very organized, teams from specific cities all coming together to compete in this championship," said Ethan Sturm, co-founder and co-commissioner of Major League Quadball.

Quadball is described as a combination of rugby, basketball and dodgeball. 

On the pitch, six to seven players battle to earn points by tossing the ball through hoops at the other end of the field. Each player is mounted on a "broom", while "chaseser," or attackers, try to pass a ball to each other to score. "Beaters," or defensemen, try to throw dodgeballs at the attackers as they try to score. If a player is hit, they are out of the play. "Keepers" are then defending the hoops from the offense. Finally, "seekers" try to catch a flag runner to earn more points.

The tournament took place at Troy Park in Elkridge. This is the first time the tournament has been in Maryland since the sport changed its name to quadball in 2022.

The weekend ends with the "Take Back the Pitch" tournament, to highlight athletes that may be overlooked because of their sex and gender.

For more information, check out the Major League Quadball website.