Major Changes Coming to Muggle Quidditch

by · July 17, 2015

Muggle Quidditch has taken quite the turn in the past few months. With the ninth release of the US rule book and new leadership in the works for two major national bodies, many changes are in the future of the fairly new sport.

Both US Quidditch (USQ) and QuidditchUK have announced new leadership for the upcoming seasons. Amy Maidment of QuidditchUK stepped down as president in late April. Melanie Piper, former Teams Director, filled in her position. Piper talks goals, plans, and challenges in an interview with the Quidditch Post. To read the full interview, click here!

USQ CEO and Muggle Quidditch founder Alex Benepe has stepped down, as well as the organization’s COO, Alicia Radford. The USQ Board of Directors will appoint an executive director to fill the roles of the pair. Radford is stepping in as temporary CEO until someone is officially hired; exactly who this will be is expected to be announced this fall.

Although it may seem worrisome to fans that the founder himself is stepping down, he is not leaving without ensuring that the beloved sport is left with a solid plan for the future.

The USQ Board of Directors have been working since October to create a plan for the future of the sport. The result is a strategic plan outlining the goals and priorities for Quidditch in the US. It goes in-depth into how they plan to achieve these feats within the next three fiscal years, July 1, 2015 until June 30, 2018. The hope is that this detailed plan will help to create a smooth transition for the new leadership.

The new plan comes with three strategic priorities that support and build on one another. These are:

1. Shape and grow the sport of Quidditch

This priority is mainly focusing on expanding the opportunities for different age groups’ playing levels. It is also looking at the safety of the sport, by furthering the quantity of officials and quality of their training.

The goals for this component are:

  • Grow the sport of Quidditch, as well as league opportunities, for those under the age of 18
  • Make Quidditch and USQ’s events more accessible and meaningful to non-players
  • Expand competitive opportunities at a variety of playing levels
  • Continue strengthening the core services: regional championships and nationals
  • Make the sport safer for all those involved
  • Further develop training, recruitment, and assessment of officials

2. Strengthen trust in, and identification with, the US Quidditch brand.

The next priority is to increase communication and transparency in the USQ brand. The organization aims to increase outreach with spectators and donors. This is in an effort to open up to new and larger audiences.

The goals are:

  • Sustain high levels of transparency and consistency in communication
  • Improve internal organizational communication
  • Improve external communication, both to members and fans
  • Increase social media engagement

3. Ensure US Quidditch is organizationally and financially sustainable

The third and final priority is focused on fundraising, advertising, and sales. This is aimed to be accomplished by increasing merchandise sales and developing closer relationships with vendors and university administrations.

The goals are:

  • Diversify revenue streams through traditional non-profit fundraising methods
  • Develop strategic partnerships with organizations that have a competitive stake in growing Quidditch and events
  • Facilitate a positive working environment for employees, board members, and volunteers
  • Regularly evaluate organizational development and programmatic sustainability

To read this plan in full, click here!

Do you hope that this means you might see a high school Quidditch league at your school in the future? What position would you play if you had the chance? Tell us in the comments below!