2023 Bid Finalists and Series Announcements
From a diverse field of candidates, three cities have been selected as finalists to host the 2023 MLQ Championship. The finalists are Round Rock, Texas; Des Moines, Iowa; and Champaign County, Ill.
Round Rock is the Sports Capital of Texas and has hosted numerous MLQ and USQ events at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex. The facility features fully-lit turf and grass fields and ample electricity and internet. MLQ has collaborated with Round Rock a number of times in the past to host regular-season series.
“The Rantoul Family Sports Complex is Illinois’ best Sports Tourism Facility for both traditional and non-traditional sports. RFSC, the Village of Rantoul, and Champaign County are ecstatic to be chosen as the host location for MLQ Championship. We’re looking forward to the future and cannot wait to welcome quadball athletes from all over the country to our facility,” said Mike Koon from Visit Champaign County.
The greater Champaign-Urbana area is home to the University of Illinois, a Big Ten school with over 56,000 students.
“We’re excited to welcome athletes and fans to our inclusive and growing community, where they’re sure to have an Outside of Ordinary experience,” Koon said.
Des Moines has been named the number one minor league sports market in the Midwest.
“We have some of the best facilities and venues – like the MidAmerican Energy Company RecPlex in West Des Moines. Catch Des Moines, the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, works hard to not only bring leisure travelers to the area, but also bring in exciting events to support the community,” said Alex Wilson from Catch Des Moines.
Within its first year of opening, the RecPlex played host to major sports events, like NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championships and State Games of America. The facility features 150,000 square feet of turf and hard-court fieldhouse, indoor ice arenas, as well as outdoor turf fields.
The MLQ directors are conducting site visits throughout November and early December to evaluate the experience each championship bid could bring to the league and our players. The 2023 MLQ Championship location will be announced in December.
REGULAR SEASON SERIES PARTNERS
We are also excited to announce a number of regular season series partners and the North Division Championship finalists.
South Bend, Ind. and Elgin, Ill. have been selected as finalists for the 2023 MLQ North Division Championship.
“Elgin is a creative and diverse city conveniently located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. With new and state-of-the-art facilities, Elgin is eager to host its first ever quadball tournament. Members of the quadball community are welcomed with open arms and are encouraged to experience all the sights, sounds, and flavors that make Elgin unique. Explore Elgin!” said Ryan Elgin of Explore Elgin.
South Bend, the host of last year’s MLQ North Division Championship and the USQ Great Lakes Regional Championship is our second finalist for the late summer event.
“South Bend has recently become a hotspot for quadball tournaments. Home to the University of Notre Dame, South Bend is known for top-notch sports, great local restaurants and fun attraction,” said Nick Kleva of Visit South Bend.
Discover St. Louis Park will host a Minneapolis home series during the 2023 regular season at Louisiana Oaks Park.
“St. Louis Park has a long history of hosting sporting events, from youth tournaments to adult competitions. We are thrilled to be the host site for MLQ’s Minneapolis Series,” said Karen McManamon of Discover St Louis Park.
Louisiana Oaks Park, the expected site of the 2023 series, is a multipurpose facility with ample parking and guest amenities.
Olathe Convention and Visitors Bureau has been selected to host the South SuperSeries at Garmin Olathe Soccer Complex in Olathe, Kan.
Lastly, Visit Lake Charles will host a South Division series at McNeese State University - Cowgirl Field, and Visit Rochester will return as a partner for a Rochester home series.
The MLQ season schedule will be released in January.