Well what a summer it has been for British university baseball! Now, you may be thinking "hang on... there hasn't been any university baseball played over the summer" and you would of course be correct, but that does not mean all has been quiet. For the last couple of months or so the people at British University Baseball Association have been hard at work getting together the plan for the 2008/09 season, and now it can be revealed that we are in for some serious changes. The season will kick off in October, in Nottingham (where else) with the inaugural BUBA Fall Cup, a two day event that will host six university teams, making it the largest university baseball competition to date. Clubs have been seeded and placed in two groups of three, the Thieves facing off against old favourites the Southampton Mustangs and new boys Lincoln. The group leaders after day one will go through to compete for the cup in the knockout format of day two. Naturally the Thieves have been seeded first and although they will face stiff competition form Oxford, UEA and Southampton, anything less than a championship victory will be considered a disappointment.

We have to wait a few months before the next official competition, but come February all should be set for the new BUBA showpiece event, the Sping League. Eight teams, two divisions, one cup. The spring league, due to run from February until June will feature teams form all over the country split across Nothern and Southern divisions. Teams will arange their own fixtures and should aim to play their divisional rivals at least 4 times each. The top two teams in each division will then go on to face off in a "Final Four" competition, the eventual winners being crowned as British University Baseball Champions. although tough, this should be what the Thieves aim for this year.

The Drunken Cup makes it's return this year of course. This time however, it will be held over the Easter period and may feature many more teams than in previous years, as the exec have agreed to open the competition to BBF clubs as well. As reigning champions, the Thieves will have high expectations and will no doubt defend their title with the upmost determination.

What a prospect this year is shaping up to be, and if you thought last season was a good one for Nottingham, just wait and see what could happen this time around.