Perfect timing for EASL

The recent announcement that the East Asia Super League (EASL) has formed an alliance with the PBA, Korean Basketball League, Japan’s B.League, Chinese-Taipei’s P.League+ and a top-level team from Greater China comes in perfect timing even as the initial home-and-away season isn’t set to launch until October next year. 

EASL CEO Matt Beyer said the news is an exciting development for fans to expect a high-quality competition involving the best of the best clubs from the region to vie for the $1 million first prize. From now until take-off, EASL will set the stage for a blockbuster launch, promoting every league —including the PBA — in the partnership as a unifying effort on the way to building a strong fan base for the entire region. EASL has also teamed up with FIBA in a 10-year renewable agreement to synch and coordinate schedules, avail of technology from the international governing federation and work together to grow the game exponentially in East Asia. EASL’s goal is to become Asia’s premier basketball league with a vision “to be one of the top three leagues globally by 2025 in terms of fan base and commercial revenue,” according to Beyer.

FIBA secretary-general Andreas Zagklis said FIBA and FIBA Asia fully support EASL “in the spirit of the development of basketball and with a high priority of developing top club competitions across the globe.” He added, “We have witnessed the growth of EASL throughout the past several years and their premier-level events and have worked alongside EASL to aid the finalization of ground-breaking, long-term collaboration deals with East Asia’s top men’s leagues to form the dynamic competition platform.”

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas said the PBA is “excited to be part of the EASL family and bring something new to the rich basketball tradition as the core of every Filipino’s heart.” Vargas said two PBA teams will be ready to showcase and export the Filipinos’ brand of play in EASL which he described as “a platform to entertain and engage fans in a new way while raising the level of PBA competition even higher.” Vargas commended the PBA Board, in particular Governor and San Miguel Corp. sports director Alfrancis Chua, and the PBA Management Committee, led by commissioner Willie Marcial, for working out the landmark agreement with EASL. Vargas said he couldn’t be happier affixing his signature of approval to the 38-page contract.

For his part, Marcial said it’s the perfect time for leagues in the region to come together under the EASL umbrella. “This is what being terrific together is all about,” said Marcial, referring to EASL’s mantra. “Sports unites and builds bridges like the Olympics and Asian Games. Sports helps the economy and brings hope and inspiration, most especially in this time of the pandemic. It’s the perfect timing for Matt and (EASL chief financial officer) Henry (Kerins) to come up with EASL.”