(via pockyrevolution)
The havens of nerddom are taking it to another level by taking a fictional sport and elevating it to its loftiest status. After debuting this activity a few years back, and some hushed discussion behind closed doors, a new sport will be taking its place among Division I athletes in both Bay Area schools.
Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour seemed very pleased in her opening remarks. "We soon expect the Big Sweep to be the beginning of a movement that will sweep through many Division I programs and prove that student-athletes can be found in any walk of life."
Barbour added, "We have received many calls from donors that if the Cal baseball team is not reinstated, many of them would be satisfied with this new innovation to the athletics program, and would be willing to pledge money to make this sport happen. We've shown that we're able to get one of these done, and we now hope to do both."
Commissioner Larry Scott had these original comments: "We expect that within five years it will be one of the most profitable sports in the new Pac-12, as we try our best to capitalize on the love for this cultural phenomenon. We're already looking into television sponsorship with the Sci-Fi Channel and increasing our viewership into secondary markets."Quidditch, a sporting event made popular by the fictional Harry Potter series, is considered one of the most athletically rigorous activities a student-athlete can participate in, perhaps only on par with football and rugby in terms of calories burned after event. You must (1) hold a broom between your legs, (2) run with the broom between with your legs instead of flying like Potter, (3) not die of laughing running around with a broom between your legs, and (4) throw it through a hoop for points. For more on the rules, go here.
Cal has had a Quidditch team in place for about a year, and many in the Department they believe will be ready for Division I by the 2012-13 season. In the case that Evans Diamond is no longer needed due to the uncertain future of the Cal baseball team, the Quidditch team has already been granted provisional rights to use it as their practice grounds after this summer to grow and develop and become a championship-caliber squad.
CGB will be looking to hire a Quidditch correspondent to cover this new team full-time, so stay tuned for further developments.