Like most travel sports, quidditch can take a toll on your bank account. That’s why we at MLQ have outlined the primary costs associated with league membership for the 2016 season. And, as a reminder, if these costs scare you, fear not! We created the MLQ Athlete Advancement Program to help players with financial needs afford the MLQ price tag.
Tryout: $0
It is not uncommon for summer, developmental or semi-pro leagues to charge a tryout fee. These fees can range anywhere from $5/person to $200/person. Since MLQ is still in its early stages, we will not charge athletes to tryout for their local MLQ team.
Team dues: $900/team or ~$30/person
Each team will pay a $900 fee to participate in MLQ’s 2016 season. Each rostered member of a team will pay an equal portion of this fee unless otherwise directed by a city’s manager. If a team fills its 30-person roster, the cost will be $30/person for team dues.
The $14,400 from team dues will be allocated toward the following: insurance for game-day locations, referee and snitch payments, medals for first and second place and assorted MLQ Championship fees. Some teams may require players to pay $5 to $20 in additional fees to cover the cost of home-game permits.
Uniform: $20 – $50/person
We surveyed 164 individuals that either played in our 2015 season or were expected to tryout for our 2016 season to determine uniform preferences. The results were distributed to managers and they, in turn, determined whether full-sublimation, screen print or a combination of the two would be offered for their kits. It was also determined that the East and North division teams–with the exception being Rochester Whiteout–will retain their jersey designs from the previous season.
For 2016, a $20 uniform fee includes a SAVAGEUltimate fully-sublimated, unisex jersey and screen-print, unisex shorts. A $50 uniform fee includes a fully-sublimated jersey and fully-sublimated shorts. The fully-sublimated shorts are available in men’s and women’s sizes.
Regular season travel: $62.31 per away series
Regular season travel cost is heavily dependent upon team and location. MLQ staff calculated the average travel cost for a 2016 team based on ownership of a 32 mpg compact car, a single rider, an average gas value of $2.06 and the route with the highest toll cost. The lowest a single rider should expect to pay is $16.67 for travel to and from an away series, with the highest being $193.
Again, these calculations are based on a driver with no passengers in their vehicle. We encourage teams to carpool as much as possible to not only lessen their costs, but also reduce the league’s carbon footprint.
Food, beverage and sightseeing were not included in the regular season travel cost.
Championship flight: ~$279 round trip per ticket
With 13 teams expected to travel to the 2016 MLQ Championship in League City, Texas, our staff used Google Flights to find the average cost of a plane ticket for players across the league to fly into Houston, the nearest metropolitan area. As reminder, $279 was the average cost as of Sunday, April 10. The price is subject to change based on distance and time of purchase. We recommend using websites such as kayak.com and hipmunk.com to find the best deal possible.
Championship accommodations: $70 – $120 per room
MLQ Events Director Kara Levis is working tirelessly to negotiate the best prices for you and your teammates. While final costs depend on your hotel selection and the number of individuals you can fit in a room, three nights with four people in a room should cost around $70 to $120. With that in mind,you can expect to pay between $54 and $90/person.
Championship rental car: ~$68
According to kayak.com, a standard five-seat compact car will cost $68 for a Friday to Monday rental in Houston. Split that with four other teammates and you’re looking at about $14/person plus gas.
There you have it. Excluding food, a mouth guard, cleats, a headband and any sightseeing, it will cost you about $490 for an experience that will be granted to just 30 individuals per city. And, remember, if that’s still a terrifying number, we’re here to help.