PBA in talks with East Asia Super League after FIBA agreement

MANILA, Philippines, September 1 ------ The PBA is holding clarificatory discussions with the organizers of the East Asia Super League (EASL), after it signed a 10-year deal with FIBA to run an annual league for the top professional clubs in East Asia and the Philippines. PBA teams have regularly participated in EASL competitions since it was founded in 2016, with NLEX, San Miguel, Blackwater, and TNT KaTropa among the squads to have played in the "Terrific 12" as part of their preseason preparations.

But EASL events will have a new format now that it has partnered with FIBA Asia. In October 2021, it will launch a new competition, where the region's top eight teams will compete in a home-and-away group stage. It will culminate in a Final 4 in February to determine the champion, runner-up, and third-place team. "Nag-uusap na kami ni Matt Beyer tungkol diyan," said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, referring to the chief executive of the EASL. "Sabi ko, pag-uusapan namin sa Board." Meralco team governor Al Panlilio, who is also the president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, is also involved in the discussions. "(Dahil) under FIBA na, magkausap kami ni Gov. Al. Sa kanya manggagaling kung paano ang proseso papunta sa PBA, kasi FIBA na eh. 'Di katulad noon na parang liga lang nila 'yung Terrific 12 at sumali tayo," Marcial explained. "So iba na ngayon, nasa FIBA na," he added.

The EASL matches are designed to be integrated into the schedules of the participating professional leagues, but the PBA still has questions as to who can be sent as the league's representative. PBA chairman Ricky Vargas said they are discussing with the EASL if they can send a representative team or even the Gilas Pilipinas national team. "The other thing that's under discussion is the rules on players. So pwede ba 'yung players na naglalaro sa team, or naglalaro sa PBA? Kasi there was a time na 'di nila tinanggap 'yung mga players based on FIBA rules," Vargas noted. "So that's also a discussion." The EASL plans to have an eight-team tournament for its first two seasons, but intends to expand to 16 teams by 2023.

Beyer, in a statement, said he is confident that it will be "one of the top professional basketball competitions in the world by 2025." "We also look forward to aligning with FIBA's vision to strengthen domestic clubs and league competition in East Asia, with a potential fan base of over 2 billion people, which will contribute to FIBA's global championship ambitions," he added. Aside from PBA teams, clubs from the Chinese Basketball Association, the B.League, the Korean Basketball League, and the ASEAN Basketball League have competed in the EASL. The 2019 edition of the Terrific 12, held in Macau in September, attracted sellout audiences and more than 117 million viewers worldwide.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com/sports