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Posts tagged ‘quidditch’

Oct 5

The IQA, Quidditch, and Another World Cup Video

The IQA (International Quidditch Association) just released Photographer Stephen Mease just released a video in anticipation of the Intercollegiate Quidditch World Cup that is going to be held in New York City on Nov 13-14.  Check it out:

The transition of the World Cup from Middlebury to New York City has not been without some controversy.  Largely, the appeal made by Alex Benepe and the Middlebury Quidditch Club to take the sport’s growing popularity into consideration has quelled most of the discontent.  Moving the World Cup to New York City is a good idea for at least three other reasons: 1) It allows Benepe’s non-profit organization, the International Quidditch Association, to gain publicity; 2) It is a closer venue for some teams to travel to than Vermont; and 3) It allows teams to compete on a neutral site, meaning that Middlebury no longer has the advantage of the home field.

I see a few interesting trends that followers of Quidditch might want to keep in mind.  First, Quidditch is becoming increasingly institutionalized.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, since Quidditch needs a central governing body to organize events and to keep the rules of the game consistent.  But these institutional developments might lead some people to take Quidditch a bit too seriously.  See, for example, this Op-Ed that argues that Quidditch ought to seek admission into the NCAA.

Along with this increased institutional organization, there are important questions about how decision-making power will be distributed between the IQA and its member schools.  In the future, who will get to decide where the World Cup will be played?  The IQA’s executive board?  The IQA and delegates from Middlebury? The IQA and delegates from all of its member schools? Maybe the team that wins one year should host it the next?  As the overall parity of the league increases, the answers to these questions will become more contested and less obvious.

That’s not to say that I would change any of Benepe’s decisions up to this point.  The IQA is currently in very good hands. But it will be interesting to see what direction Quidditch takes in the post-Middlebury era (that is, once Middlebury finally gets eliminated in a World Cup), and who will get to chart that course.

Edit: This post previously asserted that the IQA made this video.  In fact, the IQA did not produce or release it.  Credit for the video should instead go to Quidditch fan and photographer Stephen Mease. [10/11, 2:45 PM] –RL

Sep 23

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NYC Quidditch Cup attracts unusual spectators

Last year, the Quidditch World Cup in Middlebury, VT gathered somewhere around 22 teams from across the country, two live owls, one crepe-making stand, numerous chemistry professors performing “magic” on the sidelines, several a cappella groups, two hilarious improv comedy groups, and hundreds of fans.

Dementors swarm the field – photo credit to Barrett Smith

With the recent announcement of the move of the cup to New York City, the International Quidditch Association (IQA) has opened up the cup for many more teams to attend.   In addition to the increase in teams, however, comes an increase in spectators from some unusual arenas.

The Feminist Majority Foundation recently put the World Cup on their calendar, citing Quidditch’s uniqueness as a coed contact sport.  They are coming with a political agenda:  to support the induction of Title 9 3/4 into the Quidditch rulebook, overwriting the current gender clause stating that at least two women must be present on every team.

“With Title 9 3/4, the IQA will use the growing popularity of real-life Quidditch to challenge the way our world thinks about gender in sports and athletics.”

p.s. if you haven’t seen it, check out the new trailer here.

Aug 15

6 Comments

Quidditch World Cup Leaves Middlebury for New York

DeWitt Clinton Park will host the Quidditch World Cup 2010

The International Quidditch Association (IQA) announced today that they will move the Quidditch World Cup from Middlebury College in Vermont to New York City this Fall. The Quidditch World Cup will take place the weekend of Novermber 13th and 14th at the DeWitt Clinton Park (map, street view) in Mid-town Manhattan. That is a week and half before Thanksgiving break.

Commissioner and President Alex Benepe ’09 made the announcement on behalf of the newly formed non-profit organization that has taken on organizing responsibility as the governing body for the hundreds of Quidditch associations nationwide. The summer has been a transformative period for Benepe as he incorporated his organization as a 501c3, launched a new website, and formed a board of directors. The organization is also committed to beginning a full high school league.

On the decision to move the World Cup, Benepe writes in a recent email to the College administration: “There will be a definite loss of the beautiful setting of Middlebury, Vermont, and on a personal level it will be a big change for me and other members of the Middlebury community to see the event being moved.” He cites three main reasons for the move:

  1. The centrality of the location will allow more teams to compete, and also open the tournament to hundreds of high school teams, who expressed frustration at not being admitted to the event in past years.
  2. Hosting the tournament in New York will allow for a larger audience to attend the free event and become inspired to start their own teams.
  3. Time and again, Middlebury and other liberal arts students are encouraged to bring their talents out to the world and give back to communities. By transporting Middlebury’s World Cup to New York City, and most of its fans, we will be showcasing one of the many creative products that Middlebury has generated, in one the biggest cities in the world.

Will teams miss the mud of Vermont and New England fall foliage?

This will no doubt cause outcries from devoted Middlebury students who have witnessed first-hand the emergence of Quidditch as a sport. But besides losing the backdrop of the Green Mountains, carillon ringing the Harry Potter theme song, and stone faced buildings, the event will require increasing amounts of coordination that come easily to Middlebury on the secluded Vermont campus. Last year, dining halls at Middlebury absorbed hundreds of extra students eating meals, dorms housed hundreds of players, and facilities/public safety kept the World Cup crowds satisfied and safe. Benepe sees it as stepping “outside of our comfort zone,” yet also zeros-in on the very specific challenges of “helping teams set up accommodations, raising money, and dealing with a whole new set of area rules and regulations regarding special events.” Teams will also find it a lot easier to find transport to New York as opposed to navigating the maze of getting to Vermont. And there should be no shortage of helping hands in New York as a devoted fan base nationwide could make the World Cup a Harry Potter convention of sorts. Benepe also benefits from the advice of his father Adrian Benepe, a Middlebury Trustee and Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for New York City.

The Middlebury Quidditch (MiddQuid) team could face increasing competition. But the Midd organization, led by Kate Olen ’11, Phil Palmer ’12, and Andy Hyatt ’12, will have more room and resources to focus on fielding the best team for the World Cup without having to also simultaneously organize the event itself. In an email to the MiddQuid students announcing the change, they said: “…we want the Midd Cup to be as big as the World Cup was for us last year. We are not looking to just maintain our current level of Quidditch – we are looking to strengthen it. And with this fulfilling fall schedule of Quidditch, we will be able to find the Middlebury team most fit to represent our school at the World Cup.” Look for a team bus and likely (several?) fan buses to go down to New York and plenty of “friendly” games nearby at Green Mountain College and UVM.

Fans like this will have to make their way to New York City to watch the Quidditch World Cup this year.

The roots of Quidditch will always be here at Middlebury, Benepe says. “With Middlebury’s help, we started a trend not only at our College but on a national and increasingly international level. The enthusiasm and acceptance of an unconventional idea exemplify the core values of Middlebury and a liberal arts education in general, and we will not forget this.” And yet, it is definitely an experiment. “If it doesn’t work out, or even if it does, the World Cup may be back at Middlebury in the future.”

MiddBlog’s coverage of Quidditch has included: World Cups 2007, 2008, 2009.

May 28

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Quidditch in NY this weekend

Just in time for some Quidditch action this weekend in NYC, a solid video that describes Quidditch well even if it uses old footage from 2008 world cup:

Dec 7

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“Taking the Magic Out of College”

No, I’m not talking about final exams.

This Op-Ed piece in the New York Times by a high school student named Lauren Edelson caught my attention because of its references to Middlebury (and Quidditch!) Lauren’s point, in a word, is that she “[doesn't] care about what percentage of the student body runs around on broomsticks.”  Ouch. Although, if Lauren secretly loves Quidditch and wants to come to Middlebury (as I presume), then getting published in a prominent newspaper isn’t a bad way to start.

LAUREN EDELSONLAUREN EDELSON
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