Quidditch is the only sport in the Harry Potter world that is really talked about at all. As the main sport played in the wizarding world, one would think it would be a game that makes a lot of sense. However, there are many things about Quidditch that are rather head-scratching. From the way the game is played at Hogwarts to the rules of the game, it doesn’t really hold up very well as a sport under close examination.
We’ve put together a list of the ten things that make no sense about Quidditch.
10. THAT STUDENTS AT HOGWARTS CAN BUY DIFFERENT BROOMS
One of the most confusing things about the game, when it’s played at Hogwarts, is the disparity between broomsticks. Instead of having a standard-issue broom that all students have to use, different students can buy their own brooms.
This allows students with more money to have better equipment that allows them to go faster and play the game better. This doesn’t make sense at all as it gives some students an unfair advantage.
9. THE FACT IT’S BILLED AS A TEAM SPORT
Quidditch is seen as a team sport, and the team aspect is focused on a lot in the books. The different Hogwarts house teams have their own practices. Each team has camaraderie amongst all the members. However, despite the fact that it’s technically a team sport, it’s not really. The sport is almost entirely about the Seeker catching the Snitch. It could more easily be an individual sport where multiple individuals have to try to catch the Snitch first.
8. HOW MANY PROFESSIONAL TEAMS THERE SEEM TO BE
The Quidditch World Cup system does make some sense as there are witches and wizards all throughout the world in the Harry Potter series. Having a team from each country definitely holds up.
However, there seem to be many professional or semi-professional teams within each country. For example, the Chudley Cannons and the Holyhead Harpies are both from the UK. There are multiple teams just from this area which doesn’t seem to make sense given how few wizards there are.
7. THE SCORING SYSTEM
This is the biggest issue with Quidditch that many fans of the series have pointed out. It’s the biggest glaring flaw with the sport. Getting the Quaffle through the hoops only gives a team ten points while catching the Snitch ends the game and gives the team 150 points. This means that the rest of the game is almost pointless. While it’s possible to win the game without catching the Snitch, it’s very rare for that to happen.
6. THE FACT THE SEEKER IS BASICALLY LIKE THE QUARTERBACK TIMES 10
In many team sports, there are some positions that get more glory than others. For example, in football, the quarterback is often the player that is seen as the more important, even though that’s not exactly true. However, in Quidditch, the Seeker is way too important. The rest of the players might as well not even exist. They are basically just background entertainment to watch while the Seeker gets all the glory.
5. THE FACT THERE AREN’T OTHER SPORTS
While there likely are other sports in the wizarding world, as far as England is concerned, Quidditch seems to be the only one that matters. While other countries might have other sports, it seems strange that there is only one main sport. Having some diversity in the sports that are played would make a lot more sense and allow more people the chance to showcase their skills.
4. THE FACT THE GAMES DON’T HAVE A TIME LIMIT
One of the other rules of Quidditch that doesn’t make any sense is the fact that games can go on indefinitely. There is no time limit to the game. The match only ends when the Snitch is caught. So, some games last only ten minutes while others can last for months. This seems absolutely ridiculous and not practical at all. It would make a lot more sense if there was a cap such as that the game couldn’t go longer than five hours or so.
3. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ATTEND THE WORLD CUP
In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, it’s mentioned that there are around 100,000 people that attend the Quidditch World Cup that year. However, this seems like way too large of a number.
The exact number of witches and wizards in the Harry Potter universe isn’t known as J.K. Rowling never gave an answer. However, 100,000 people coming to one event seems like way too many.
2. BLUDGERS
It’s not exactly surprising that there are many things in the wizarding world that are somewhat barbaric. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of safety rules in place. Take Hogwarts, for example, where students are often put in danger and subjected to dangerous spells and potions. It’s maybe no surprise, however, that the main sport in the wizarding community would have a violent element. The bludgers are quite dangerous and can lead to some serious injuries. The fact that the game is allowed to be played with them even at a school seems quite strange.
1. THE SNITCH
All of the balls that are used to play Quidditch have interesting properties. While the bludgers might be enchanted to try and knock players off of their brooms, the Snitch is enchanted to fly around and be difficult to catch. The fact, however, that so much importance is played on catching it is a bit ridiculous. It might be a very beautiful piece of sporting equipment, but whoever decided that it should be the main factor in the game didn’t really understand how sports work. It would make more sense if there was a time limit and the game only involved the quaffle.
