Quidditch: Coming to a Campus Near You

Clearly the fact that there have been six Harry Potter movies released, (two more in the making) seven books out in stores, and an upcoming theme park in Orlando, doesn’t quite express the extent of society’s obsession with the magic wizardly world. Because college Quidditch (yes, the broomstick-riding sport) is on the rise.

With over 200 colleges expressing their interest in the sport, including Princeton, U-Mass-Amherst and Vassar College, Quidditch is spreading like wildfire. It even has its own site, (for all you nerds out there) where you can have access to the latest Quidditch news and history of the sport.

Similar to soccer, the players try and get the ball, or Quaffle that is, into the opposing goal, except they try and do so while riding around on a broomstick…on the ground.

Sounds…er…awesome.

I don’t quite understand the whole thing. First, riding around on broomsticks is not only ridiculous, but it’s gotta be uncomfortable, right? And what if you get tackled? How does a broomstick shoved between your legs react in a situation like that?

And, more importantly, isn’t the whole point of Quidditch the flying part? I mean, isn’t College Quidditch just soccer…with brooms?

Apparently I’m missing something, because the sport has been around in the real world for four years, and is only getting more and more popular. I get the Harry Potter obsession, but come on, people. This is just absurd.