A look into the sport that, overseas, possesses Quidditch-like fame... New York, USA–Although the high season for Quidditch is waning, at least until school contests begin in November, there is another broomstick sport about to begin its season–and with a feverish following almost equal to that of Quidditch itself. Quodpot–a sport spawned from early games of Quidditch–has long enjoyed a popularity overseas in the United States of America. Though limited to the borders of the USA, Quodpot far overshadows its global cousin, so much so that the United States participation in Quidditch can only be described as nil, at best. The World of Quodpot, however, has consumed the United States for nearly a century and a half. Created by Abraham Peasegood, Quodpot can be cited as a sister to game to Quidditch, although much more violent. Play involves twenty-two team members, eleven to a side, whose goal is to take an enchanted ball, the Quod, across a pitch in a limited amount of time. If the Quod has not reached the goal, deemed the “Pot”, the Quod will explode, eliminating a member of the team holding the Quod. The Team who has the last player standing wins the game. Quodpot involves less strategy than Quidditch, and more brute force, as almost half the team members playing on the field are set to either attack or defend the person carrying the Quod. The center player responsible for starting the Quod on its journey to the pot is the Quodback, a player whose broomstick capabilities and strength are a mixture of a Quidditch Seeker and a Chaser. Although Quodpot is dangerous, it has nonetheless captured immense popularity in the United States. The Black Robed Department of Magic have had to take abnormally large precautions to prevent Muggles from discovering what has become an immense fan following for Quodpot teams. “We can reach nearly eighty or ninety thousand Quodpot fans a game,” reports the Secretary of Magical Security Arnold Windwiser, “and there are usually about forty-five games going on each weekend. We’ve experimented with every Muggle repelling and forgetting procedure known to wizard, and we’re still developing new ways to prevent their finding out.” Quodpot has a division of itself at the wizarding schools, much like Quidditch, but instead of being internalized, the schools play each other in what has become a weekend ritual almost as popular as Professional Quodpot. “There is just much more excitement to Quodpot Collegiate,” says Mark Espner, head of the NMCAA (National Magical Collegiate Athletic Association), “the players are less experienced but much more intense about winning.” Quodpot has a yearly professional championship game, the Super Pot, to determine the best Quodpot team for the season. Although not as popular or as widespread internationally as Quidditch, Quodpot has one claim to fame–it’s intense popularity has lead to a hailstorm of requests for endorsements, with such companies are Nimbus, Comet, and Cleansweep fighting to give as much money as possible to teams, players, and owners. All told, most broomstick companies put more galleons towards one Quodpot player than an entire Quidditch team. “The salaries for Quodpot players are immense. They receive so many galleons for endorsements, its almost breaks the bank,” says Chubby Checkwood, owner of the Baltimore Basilisks, “we almost can’t afford to play the game anymore.” But so long as companies will give money, Quodpot will be played. “Its just good business sense,” replies Henry Holliway, a representative for Nimbus, Ltd. “Quodpot sells. When its sells, Nimbus sells. So we’ll support it for as long as it takes.” Despite the lack of fan following elsewhere (Europe has tried a few minor Quodpot leagues, but it will never reach the popularity of Quidditch) it is obvious that Quodpot will not cease to be the sport of choice for Americans. Says a longtime fan of Quodpot, whose school of origin is in the Southern United States, “Quodpot is the best! They’re nothing like a good weekend romp at your old school, roasting hot dogs and drinking butterbeer, and cheering for your old Quodpot team with your old team cheer: ‘Goooooooooo Dugbogs! Sic Em! Gawoof, gawoof, gawoof!’” |