If someone is looking for something to do on Friday nights, here’s one idea - the fall Midnight Basketball Association (MBA) will start up on tonight in the Elam Center.

Play will be from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. and is free to students. MBA will have only two dates in the fall. They are tonight and next Friday.

The season was scheduled to kick off last week, but because of the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats, the start date was pushed back a week. The MBA is a longstanding tradition at UTM since its inception several years ago. Though there are only two dates in the fall, MBA will have more dates for the spring semester. It will run from Jan. 16 to Feb. 27, but it will not take place on Feb. 20 because of the UTM All-Nighter.

There will be several different times where the MBA will have special events like music, food, drinks and ping-pong.

Basketball intramurals have always been big on campus, but the MBA has helped to boost the numbers with 200 to 300 people playing basketball on Fridays.

This program has also helped to build the intramural program by allowing people to play against each other without it counting in the standings. It also helps to develop friendly rivalries between different teams.

“I expect that it will be a good time and give people something to do on Friday nights,” said intramural director Eric Simmons. “And if people are looking for something to do on the weekends, then this is a good start.”

So if another Friday night rolls around, still complaining that there’s nothing to do, check out the MBA. One may never have another boring Friday night in Martin.