J.K. Rowling's views spawn name change for 'Harry Potter' sport

Two real-life leagues based on the fictional sport quidditch from J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" universe are changing their names both for trademark reasons and to distance themselves from what many consider the author's view toward transgender individuals.

US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch have jointly announced that they are rebranding as US Quadball (USQ) and Major League Quadball (MLQ). The International Quidditch Association (IQA), which governs the sport at the international level, also is planning to adopt the new name worldwide, the leagues said.

Unlike the flying-broomstick fantasy of the Harry Potter universe, quadball fields seven players "riding" broomsticks with their feet on the ground. Players score by throwing a volleyball (the quaffle) through any of three hoops fixed at either end of the field. Dodgeballs (bludgers) are used to remove opposing players temporarily. The "snitch" is the ball that must be caught to end the game.

"The governing bodies made the decision to pursue the name change for two reasons," the leagues' announcement explained. "First, J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter book series, has increasingly come under scrutiny for her anti-trans positions. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups like GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign as well as the three lead actors in the Harry Potter film series have criticized her stances."

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint — who played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, respectively, in the movies based on Rowling's phenomenally popular series of young-adult fantasy novels about a wizarding school — each have criticized Rowling's controversial view of transgender women. Other cast members similarly expressed concern over Rowling's statements, as has Eddie Redmayne from the "Fantastic Beasts" prequel movies, and Noma Dumezweni from the West End and Broadway productions of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child."

USQ and MLQ will own the trademark for "quadball" in the United States. The trademark for the proper noun "Quidditch" is owned by the Warner Bros. film and entertainment company, the leagues said.

The game is played by nearly 600 teams in 40 countries, the announcement said.

Rowling has not commented publicly on the name changes. In June 2020, she sparked a backlash over tweets many took to be transphobic. "If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction," she said in part. "If sex isn't real, the lives reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn't hate to speak the truth." She subsequently doubled down on her comments, prompting criticism from the trans community and allies.