Major League Quidditch Is Making Some Major Changes Ahead of Next Season

by · January 1, 2019

Major League Quidditch (MLQ) is making some considerable changes across the structure of its franchises and divisions ahead of the 2019 season.

After conducting research within the community to ascertain interest levels and potential growth opportunities, MLQ is dissolving the West Division and adding in three new franchises: Minneapolis, Toronto, and San Antonio.

These changes will lead to a 15-franchise league spread out across three divisions, with San Antonio joining the South Division, Minneapolis and Toronto joining the North Division, and Rochester moving to join the East Division. This means that within each division, four of the five teams that make it up will qualify to play at the 2019 championship, the Benepe Cup.

Each of the new franchise locations was chosen due to their high levels of interest in participating with MLQ and what quidditch was actively occurring already in the region. Notably, the San Antonio franchise is located within Texas, which has produced some the best talent and teams in US quidditch in recent years, such as winning the community championship at the US Quidditch Cup earlier this year with Texas Cavalry. With the Austin Outlaws reigning as the two-time defending champions, this new franchise has the potential to shake things up for the division.

The team names and logos for the new franchises will be revealed in February, with tryouts coming soon after.

Unfortunately, as these new franchises have been created, the West Division has been dissolved due to concerns over sustainability, logistics, and player interest. A survey conducted by MLQ across the region left only Los Angeles and Seattle with high enough interest levels to feasibly create rosters. However, the two cities are geographically so far apart that players would be overburdened with costs to play against each other and it would be more difficult to attract nonplaying volunteers.

With the other three divisions now at five teams and the West struggling to sustainably field three, MLQ made the difficult decision to dissolve it completely.

Be sure to check out the MLQ website for further information and keep an eye out for details about tryouts!