The MLQ Directors have made the unfortunate but necessary decision to indefinitely postpone the 2020 MLQ regular season, 2020 MLQ Championship and all in-person MLQ events. The decision was not made lightly, and took into account all available public health information as well as regulations on the federal, state and local levels.

We had previously announced the development of a phase four schedule should we be unable to act on phase three, but it has become increasingly clear that we will not be able to safely proceed with that schedule. That said, we will continue to explore all potential contingencies going forward to possibly make a 2020 MLQ season happen later in the year.

Though we will not be able to guarantee any actual games at this time, teams will select honorary rosters, which will be publicly announced on Thursday, June 4. Teams have been instructed to take players they–at time of the application closing on May 27–would be comfortable putting on the field in an MLQ match given the applicants and information readily available to them. Team dues will not be charged. However, athletes selected will have the opportunity to order their team’s kit at the MLQ player rate.

Those who purchased registration for MLQ Worlds Weekend and/or MLQ Worlds Fantasy will have until May 26 to fill out this form for reimbursement. We will reach out via email to those that purchased tickets to summer series and the 2020 MLQ Championship in regards to refunds.

WHAT’S NEXT?
While there is no substitute for summer quidditch, there is still plenty we can do. Firstly, we will be running “MLQ Virtual,” an online substitute for the 2020 season that, while having nothing to do with quidditch, will have everything to do with our players and competition. 

The first phase of MLQ Virtual will be a series of live video game matches between MLQ rosters of the past and present. Each match will take place across a series of three different games, which we will decide with the help of player feedback. We will be opening our video game match slate with a classic rivalry match between the New York Titans and the Boston Night Riders, the details of which will be coming soon. Players eligible to participate in these matches must be selected onto a 2020 MLQ roster–after full tryout registration and fulfillment of the video requirements–or have competed in an official match on the 30-person roster of an MLQ team in the past. If you are interested in participating, please fill out this form.

If video games aren’t your thing, we are also launching our first MLQ Virtual race series. The MLQ Virtual 5k and 10k are races you can participate in from any location between Aug. 1 and Aug. 15. You can run, jog or walk on a road, trail, treadmill or track. You can move at your own pace, and time it yourself. If you crave competition, you can opt-in to have your time displayed and be eligible for prizes. 

These races will be open to anyone—you do not need to be an MLQ athlete to compete and we even encourage athletes to sign up with their families, roommates and friends outside of quidditch. A special rate will be available for groups of 10 or more. Each registration will include a commemorative bib with a unique participant number; a race-specific, custom medal; and an event t-shirt. Early bird registration will launch on May 25.

We will also pivot our focus to the future of MLQ. This includes–but is not limited to–the following:

• An equity audit and plan of action for increasing MLQ’s diversity and inclusion efforts;
• The creation of MLQ Projects, a sub-department of the Executive Department that will focus on the creation of new MLQ programs with an emphasis on increasing revenue stream and expansion of the sport at varying levels;
• New Instagram and Spotify content, including an in-house MLQ podcast;
• The creation of a quidditch commentator training program;
• A new and improved statistics frontend, making it easier for athletes and fans to find out how their favorite player compares to others season-to-season;
• And, an overhaul of our digital media strategy, including how quidditch is presented to the at-home audience.

We know that everyone is craving a return to the pitch. And we know that nothing is going to be the same as playing the sport we all love. But we have been incredibly humbled by the community’s response to this pandemic so far, and we hope these initiatives can continue to drive the unity that makes this sport so strong. If we continue to push forward together, we can all come out of this with our sport and its leagues in an even better place than they were before. If you want to be involved in any of the aforementioned efforts, contact us at [email protected]. 

Thank you as always for your incredible support, and stay safe.