FAQL FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

(or, more appropriately, Likely to be Asked Questions)

1. What is the FAQL?

The FAQL is an acronym, which stands for Fantasy American Quidditch League.

2. Ok, great.  What is the Fantasy American Quidditch League, then?

The Fantasy American Quidditch League (or FAQL, see Q1) is a Fantasy Sports league that seeks to simulate the fantasy sport of Quidditch.  Instead of relying on stats of real Quidditch players to construct teams, players (or "Managers") select athletes or teams from Actual, Real-Life sports to fill in for the various positions on their Quidditch team.  These players, based on their performance during each week of the season score points or modify points scored by their team and their opponent's team for the week to determine a final outcome.  

3. What are the "Real-World" Sports?  How do they score points?

First, that's two questions.  But that's fine, they answers are related so I'll take it as one.  The four real-world sports are Baseball, Soccer (or Football for non-USA readers), Golf, and Racing, specifically NASCAR racing.  

Baseball teams fill the role of Chasers on the Quidditch team.  Each run they score is worth 10 points.  A Quidditch team my play up to three MLB or AAA baseball teams for a match.  

Soccer teams fill the role of Keepers.  The score of a soccer team for a week's match is compared to the score of the opponent's soccer team's score to give a percentage of goals "kept," ranging from 50% to 80%.  This percentage modifies the points scored by the Chasers.  Both MLS and USLC soccer leagues are played.

Golf players are the Beaters.  Since it is the beater's job to disrupt the opponent in whatever way, the score that two players score in whatever PGA tournament is happening that week is subtracted from the opponent's score.  

NASCAR drivers are the Seekers, and as such are very important for a Quidditch team, in more ways than one.  Firstly, the driver who finishes higher in their race "catches the Snitch" first, and scores 150 points for their team.  Secondly, how well the winning driver does during the race will determine how many day's worth of baseball games are scored by the Chasers.  A driver who starts 12th and finishes 14th will mean the game lasts a long time, allowing more of the chaser's points to be scored.  A driver who starts 33rd and finishes 1st will mean a very short game, allowing only a single day's worth of games to be scored.  

More detail can be found on the Scoring Rules page.

4. Okay, that sounds awesome.

Yes it does.  Not a question, though.  Next!

5. How long is the Quidditch Season?

The 2019 season begins the second week of April and runs for at least 18 weeks.  The exact length will be determined per league and whatever championship format the leagues want.  

6. So... Can I play?

Yes, but not this season.  There is a Facebook group where important information is dispensed to all the FAQL team managers, and where Leagues will be organized and match reports and stats and scores and all that kind of information will be dispersed.  Request permission to join the group and you will be connected to all the future FAQL action!  When 2020 rolls around, if you are part of the group you will be duly notified of the opening of signups.

7. So what's with the all these Match Reports?

The Match Reports are the results of the 2019 FAQL "Federation Champions League." The titles reflect the year, week, and game of the report.  In the match report titled 19-01-1, the match report is for the 2019 season, week 1, game #1.  19-05-3 is for 2019, week 5, game #3. 

8. Are you worried you might be sued?

No.  Nobody here is making any money from this, we aren't publishing any physical copies of anything, and we don't think our fantasy league will impact in any way book or movies sales. That, and JK Rowling's position has been to date rather generous with well-intentioned fan works.  We are, of course, not affiliated in any way with Rowling or her publishers.