Piggybacking off the hype of the Olympics, the London Quidditch Summer Games 2012 featured international attendance from American, Canada, Australian, British and French teams on July 8-9th in Oxford, as the torch passed through the city.
Quidditch is based off the fictional sport (played on brooms) in the legendary Harry Potter series. Adapted for real world play, it is quite competitive, complete with tackling and high-power sprinting. The International Quidditch Association oversees roughly 700 teams in 25 countries, most based from colleges and universities. The international championship was won by the American team, with Britain placing second, followed by Australia, then Canada and finally France.
Eventually, the International Quidditch Association hopes to get their sport into the actual Olympics. What a day that would be for an entire generation of Harry Potter fans.
Olympic Quidditch Tournaments
The London Quidditch Summer Games 2012 Featured Five Teams
Trend Themes
1. Quidditch Tournaments - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing a professional league and infrastructure for Quidditch tournaments to capitalize on the growing interest in the sport.
2. Sports Adaptations - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Exploring the adaptation of other fictional sports into real-world competitive games to attract fan bases and create new revenue streams.
3. Geek Culture Integration - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Expanding the integration of geek culture elements into mainstream sports events to engage a wider audience and create unique experiences.
Industry Implications
1. Sports Entertainment - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Creating innovative spectator experiences and entertainment options to enhance the engagement and enjoyment of sports events.
2. Event Management - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing specialized event management services and technologies tailored for niche sports tournaments to streamline operations and enhance participant experiences.
3. Sports Merchandise - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Designing and producing merchandise related to fictional sports, like Quidditch, to tap into the market of passionate fans and collectors.