Howard County to Host 2024 Major League Quadball Championship
12 best teams from across the U.S. and Canada compete for Benepe Cup crown
FEBRUARY 7, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jack McGovern
Tel. 610-290-2466
Email: press@mlquadball.com
Elkridge, Maryland (February 7, 2024) — Major League Quadball (MLQ) announced on Wednesday that it has awarded Howard County the right to host its season-ending championship for the third time on Aug. 17-19, 2024.
The 2024 MLQ Championship will feature the 12 best quadball teams in the U.S. and Canada competing across four fields at Troy Park. The site previously hosted the MLQ Championship in 2021 and 2022, the first two major tournaments after the league returned to play from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Howard County Recreation & Parks is excited to host the Major League Quadball tournament at Troy Park for the third time in four years,” said Director of Howard County Recreation and Parks Nick Mooneyhan. “We welcome athletes and fans from around the country who enjoy this unique sport. Our award-winning parks provide the perfect backdrop for athletic excellence.”
Quadball is a mixed-gender, full-contact sport. The rules were originally adapted from the magical game of quidditch in the Harry Potter book series. The real-life version of the sport involves four balls and four positions. It incorporates a mix of elements from basketball, rugby and dodgeball.
Founded in 2015, MLQ is the highest level of quadball in North America. The league is home to 15 franchises across three divisions and its season runs from June to August. The teams have open tryouts in the spring and are composed of all-star players from local college and club quadball programs.
“We are thrilled to return to Troy Park and renew our partnership with Howard County,” said MLQ co-commissioner Amanda Dallas. “They have set the standard for hosting the MLQ Championship and ensured that our tournaments are successful each year.
The MLQ Championship is the league’s marquee event. The teams are competing for a chance to take home the Benepe Cup — the coveted league trophy named after quadball founder Alex Benepe. The Austin Outlaws are the three-time defending champions.
The tournament will begin with a play-in bracket on Saturday morning. Following the play-in round, the remaining eight teams will square off in the best-of-three championship bracket on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The games will be livestreamed to fans around the world.
Take Back the Pitch, a showcase with teams drafted from a player pool entirely of athletes who are not cis men, will follow on Monday. The event aims to challenge current understandings of gender in quadball and create additional opportunities for cis and trans women, non-binary folk and trans men. Registration is now open.
Tickets are now on sale for the marquee quadball event.
About Major League Quadball
Quadball is a competitive, full-contact, co-ed sport played by athletes around the world. Major League Quadball 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 Major League Quadball? Visit mlquadball.com or contact us at press@mlquadball.com.