NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - When it comes to sports in North Myrtle Beach, city leaders will say their bread and butter is basketball and baseball, but leaders are thinking outside of the box when it comes to expanding sports tourism.

City leaders tell WMBF News their making concerted efforts to get rugby, lacrosse, flag football and even quidditch for next year.

The Athletic Director for the city Paul McCulloch, said they're trying to get organizers of those events lined up for dates by Labor Day.

The most non-traditional of the group is quidditch, which is a Harry Potter inspired game popular among college students.

James Custard is visiting North Myrtle Beach from Ohio and he admits he's heard of quidditch games being played on college campus and he thinks it would be a good idea to bring it to North Myrtle Beach. "I think it would be a good place to get people interested, it definitely would get college age kids down here," said Custard.

The quidditch world cup was last hosted in Florida during the month of April. Eighty teams competed from all over the country and at least 1,500 people attended the event.

City athletic leaders put in their proposal for the quidditch world cup recently, and they're hoping to hear back sometime in September.

McCulloch said when developing sports tourism in the city they want to spread the word that North Myrtle Beach is a great place to play and visit.

"The more national companies we get associated the more it puts our name out there," explains McCulloch.

These events would be played at the new outdoor sports complex facility which is still on target to be finished March 1.

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