2009 should be an interesting year for European Baseball and Softball. Italy and the Netherlands open the tournament calendar with the World Baseball Classic in March.
Shortly after the end of the MLB organized event, the twelve best teams in Europe kick off the tournament calendar on the old continent, as Italy is hosting both European Cups from March 30th till April 4th.
At this point the 2009 Division de Honor season is going to be already two weeks old. Most of the other countries begin on the last weekend in March and the first in April, except for the Scandinavian leagues, which should open in May.
The European Cup Qualifier in Slovakia, Austria, Belgium and the Czech Republic are scheduled for June 15 to 20. The four best clubs from the European Cups are going to battle on June 20/21 at the Final Four in Barcelona, Spain.
The summer consists of European Championships on various youth levels and two big tournaments in July with the World Port Tournament in Rotterdam and the Prague Baseball Week.
The Softball schedule will also peek during the summer, when the European Softball Championships take place in Belgium and Spain and the European elite clubs meet in Italy for the European Cups.
The highlight of the year is set for September 9 to 27, when seven European countries will host the 38th IBAF Baseball World Cup. 22 teams will fight three weeks long for wins and hopefully impress IOC members in Europe enough to get back into the Olympics in October.
The year ends with the playoffs, league finals and relegation games next fall.
Overview:
- March 5 to 23: World Baseball Classic in Japan and North America
- March 14: Spanish Division de Honor first league in Europe to start season
- March 30 to April 4: Baseball European Cups in Italy
- June 15 to 20: Baseball European Cup Qualifiers in Trnava, Attnang-Puchheim, Antwerp, Ostrava
- June 20/21: Baseball European Cup Final Four in Barcelona
- July 7 to 11: Baseball European Championships Cadets Under-15 in Czech Republic
- July 2 to 12: World Port Tournament in Rotterdam
- July 14 to 19: Softball European Championships Cadets in San Sebastian
- July 20 to 26: Baseball European Championships Cadets Under-15 Qualifier in Antwerp and Sofia (if more than eight teams)
- July: Baseball European Championships Juveniles Under-12 in Dupnitza
- July: Prague Baseball Week
- July 27 to August 2: Softball European Championships A-Pool in Valencia, B-Pool in Hoboken
- August 3 to 9: Baseball European Championships Under-18 in Bonn
- August 9 to 16: Softball Easton Foundation Youth World Cup in Prague
- August 17 to 22: Softball European Cups in Legnano and Parma
- September 9 to 27: 38th IBAF Baseball World Cup in Spain, Germany, Russia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Netherlands and Italy