SALT LAKE CITY – Salt Lake City’s Regional Athletic Complex (RAC) will host the 14th US Quidditch Cup on April 17 and 18, 2021. US Quidditch, the national governing body for the sport of quidditch, announced the event location selection earlier this week, citing the RAC’s proximity to the airport and Salt Lake City’s friendly, vibrant, and walkable downtown as factors in their selection. The 2021 Quidditch Cup in Salt Lake City will be the first major quidditch event to be held west of the Rocky Mountains.
The annual US Quidditch Cup is the national championships for US Quidditch, featuring 84 teams from two divisions: collegiate and community. According to US Quidditch Cup’s website, “60 collegiate teams and 24 community teams will qualify through regional championships and at-large bids and have the opportunity to compete at US Quidditch Cup to be crowned the National Champions in their division.” The 2021 event in Salt Lake City is anticipated to draw around 7,000 attendees with a direct estimated economic impact of $2.6 million.
“We are thrilled to be the first western host site of the US Quidditch Cup, a one of a kind, exciting event for both players and attendees. The US Quidditch Cup will be a great addition to the wide variety of sporting events hosted at this premier athletic facility and we look forward to introducing quidditch to our region,” said Chris Laughlin with the Regional Athletic Complex.
The Salt Lake City Regional Athletic Complex, maintained by Salt Lake City’s Parks Division, was honored with the 2019 Best of State Award for Best Sports Complex in Utah. With 16 natural grass multi-use fields situated on 120 acres of land along the Jordan River, it’s conveniently located just five minutes from the Salt Lake City International Airport and downtown corridor. The facility provides state-of-the-art amenities not typically found in a recreation facility: Wi-Fi, power outlets, live-stream video capability, ice machines, space for vendors and food trucks, and 1,200 parking spaces.
About US Quidditch
US Quidditch (USQ), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the national governing body for the sport of quidditch, organizes US Quidditch Cup. USQ advances the sport by organizing events and programs that build community and empower all genders to compete together. US Quidditch is not affiliated with JK Rowling, Warner Bros., or Time Warner. To learn more about quidditch, visit www.usquidditch.org.
About the Sport of Quidditch
Quidditch is a full contact, competitive, mixed gender sport inspired by the Harry Potter series. It began in 2005 and has since spread to over 300 colleges, high schools and community teams nationwide. US Quidditch includes official community and club teams at traditional sports powerhouses like the University of Texas; University of California, Los Angeles; and University of Florida. Teams compete over a year-long season. USQ hosts seven regional championships that crown regional champions and are typically part of the qualification process for teams attending the annual US Quidditch Cup.
Quidditch is played with seven players to a team all mounted on brooms. Three chasers score goals by putting the quaffle (a volleyball) through any of three hoops at the opposite end of the field. A keeper defends the hoops, while two beaters throw bludgers (dodgeballs) at opposing players to temporarily knock them out of the game. Meanwhile, each team’s seeker tries to catch the snitch: an autonomous yellow-clad athlete who has a tennis ball in a custom-made velcro tail hanging from the back of their shorts, similar to flag football. A game of quidditch ends when the snitch tail is caught, and the capturing seeker’s team is awarded an additional 30 points. US Quidditch’s official rulebook is available free for download here.