Austin Outlaws win fourth Major League Quidditch title
The Austin Outlaws swept number-one seed Boston Forge in the finals to win the title for the second year in a row. They previously won back-to-back trophies in 2017 and 2018. (Major League Quidditch)
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Outlaws are champions again!
Austin's Major League Quidditch team won their fourth Benepe Cup in Maryland Sunday, sweeping number-one seed Boston Forge in the finals to win the title for the second year in a row.
Austin previously took home back-to-back trophies in 2017 and 2018, but fell to the Forge in the finals in 2019, says MLQ. Boston entered the weekend tied for the most successful team in league history with three championships, a mark that the Outlaws have now eclipsed.
The 2022 MLQ Championship featured the top 12 Quidditch teams in the country in a two-day tournament. The Outlaws knocked out the hometown Washington Admirals in the quarterfinals on Saturday evening before defeating the New York Titans in the semifinals on Sunday morning.
MORE: Make 'broom' for the wizardly sport Quidditch
Quidditch is a mixed-gender, full-contact sport played by around 600 teams in almost 40 countries. The rules, originally adapted from the "Harry Potter" book series, incorporate a mix of elements from basketball, rugby and dodgeball.
Last month, the sport's governing bodies announced that they would rebrand the game as quadball to distance themselves from "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, who has been facing criticism over her comments about the transgender community, and to open up sponsorship and broadcast opportunities. The new name will go into effect next week.
MLQ is home to 15 franchises and one trial expansion team across the U.S. and Canada and runs from June to August.