Real-life Quidditch is coming to West Des Moines for the Major League Quadball Championship
The best quadball athletes in North America are flying in on their broomsticks to the Des Moines metro this August for Major League Quadball's 2023 Championship tournament. The sport incorporates elements of rugby, basketball and dodgeball, all while a co-ed group of players straddle broom sticks trying to score points and chase after the elusive yellow flag runner.
This year's tournament will take place over three days at the MidAmerican Energy Complex RecPlex in West Des Moines from Aug. 26-28. The jam-packed days of competition will feature 12 quadball teams from the U.S. and Canada all vying for the top title, known as The Benepe Cup, named after U.S. Quadball CEO Alex Benepe.
The tournament comes to the metro with the support of Catch Des Moines.
“Hosting Major League Quadball is a first for us as we’ve never hosted a quadball competition in the area, and we are looking forward to hosting a new and exciting event in Greater Des Moines,” Catch Des Moines President and CEO Greg Edwards said in a news release. “Teams from across the U.S. and Canada are going to experience a great facility at MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex and we can’t wait to show off what all we have to offer.”
Quadball went from an invention inspired by Quidditch to major league sport
Major League Quadball describes itself as "the equivalent of the NFL or the MLB for quadball." The full-contact sport takes direct inspiration from Quidditch, the popular game played by wizards at the fictional school of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter series. First invented by a group of Middlebury College students back in 2005, the sport is now played by more than 600 teams in 40 different countries.
Throughout the regular season, which runs from June to August, 16 different franchises spanning three geographic regions in North America compete to qualify for the championship tournament. In addition to the Benepe Cup, August's championship weekend will also include "the Next Gen Showcase," a competition played by practice squad athletes, and "Take Back the Pitch," a tournament open to athletes described by the league as "gender diverse."
Pre-sale tickets are now available for purchase MLQChampionship.com starting at $25,
Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at FBlock@registermedia.com or on Twitter at @francescablock3.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Quidditch is coming to West Des Moines with the Quadball Championship
