FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jack McGovern
Email: [email protected]
Howard County, Md. (Feb. 16, 2022) — Major League Quidditch (MLQ) has announced that the 2022 MLQ Championship will be hosted in Howard County, Md. on Aug. 20-22 in partnership with Visit Howard County.
“With the success of last year’s tournament in the rearview, it’s gratifying to welcome back the MLQ Championship to Howard County,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “Once again, our exceptional recreation facilities, warm hospitality, and engaged business community make Howard County an unmatched location for a variety of tournaments and events. It was wonderful to see so many young people competing and so many families watching from the stands. Our entire community is looking forward to another magical weekend.”
The season-ending event will feature the 12 best real-life quidditch teams from across the U.S. and Canada at Troy Park in Elkridge, Md. Pre-sale tickets are now available at MLQChampionship.com.
Howard County hosted the 2021 MLQ Championship, securing the county the Transactional Opportunities Award at the 40th Annual Maryland Tourism & Travel Summit.
“Winning the bid for this annual tournament two years in a row is a testimony to our welcoming environment, pristine fields, ample parking, and first rate accommodations,” said Director of Howard County Recreation and Parks A. Raul Delerme. “This event brings a joyful atmosphere that my entire staff enjoys.”
Quidditch is a mixed-gender, full-contact sport played by over 600 teams in 40 countries. The rules, originally adapted from the Harry Potter book series in 2005, incorporate elements of basketball, rugby and dodgeball.
Founded in 2015, MLQ is working to make quidditch a professional sport. The league is home to 16 franchises that compete in three geographic divisions from June to August. Tryouts for the teams kick off in early March. Final rosters often feature star players from college and club quidditch programs.
The MLQ Championship is the league’s marquee event and features three competitions in one: the Benepe Cup, the Next Gen Showcase and Take Back the Pitch.
The Benepe Cup, named for real-life quidditch founder and former US Quidditch CEO Alex Benepe, is the conclusion for the summer-long, official MLQ season. The Next Gen Showcase, which takes place Sunday, is a competition featuring the practice squad athletes from across the league. Monday’s Take Back the Pitch is a one-of-a-kind event. This showcase challenges the current understanding of gender in quidditch and opens opportunities for gender diverse athletes to play quidditch out from under the scrutiny of misogyny, transmisogyny and misdirected misogyny.
All games will be played simultaneously on two fields over a two-day tournament and will be livestreamed to fans around the world.
About Major League Quidditch
Quidditch is a competitive, gender-integrated, full-contact sport played by athletes around the world. MLQ has set out to create a high-intensity environment for the best athletes in North America to hone their skills and compete for one of our sport’s highest honors: the Benepe Cup. Want to know more about MLQ? Visit mlquidditch.com or contact us at [email protected].
About Visit Howard County
Located in the center of Maryland, Howard County is the center of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Region, and the center of your next vacation, business trip or conference. Whether you like to dine, shop, visit museums or enjoy live music, Howard County has just the activities you enjoy. Visit visithowardcounty.com.
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