US Quadball trademarks the sport’s name, sets licensing rules

QUADBALL is a trademark of The Queue Project, LLC, a joint venture with Major League Quadball, and teams, merchandise sellers and event organizers must license the US QUADBALL mark or logos to use them. Media can still use the word quadball itself, but the official marks that attach the sport to clubs, apparel and tournaments are controlled.

For member clubs, the licensing is built into official team registration and comes at a discounted rate. The license covers merchandise, websites, social media and event use, while outside teams can apply separately by email. The team license expires each year on October 31 and renews when the club completes membership for the following season. The logo rules are just as specific, reaching apparel, posters, recruitment flyers and team websites.

On July 19, 2022, US Quidditch and Major League Quidditch rebranded as US Quadball and Major League Quadball after polling conducted jointly with Major League Quidditch. USQ said, “we have chosen quadball as the new name for our sport,” and the International Quidditch Association planned to adopt the new name worldwide. USQ also commissioned a new organization logo as part of the broader rebrand.

One reason for choosing an original name was to secure a trademark because Warner Bros. still owned the Quidditch mark. The move also separated the sport from J.K. Rowling after her anti-trans positions became a flashpoint. Mary Kimball, then USQ executive director, said the sport had grown in less than 20 years from a few dozen college students in rural Vermont into a global phenomenon with thousands of players, semi-pro leagues and international championships.