THE PBA is not only participating but aims to rule the East Asia Super League.
So said league Chairman Ricky Vargas yesterday, pointing out that pride should spur the two Filipino teams to strive for the top in the regional meet’s first edition due to kick off next year.
“We have some of the best players in Asia, and I would like to think we also have the best coaches,” Vargas said in the online press conference cum media briefing also attended by EASL CEO and co-founder Matt Beyer.
“Also about pride. We want to prove that we can compete with the best of Asia,” added the TNT executive.
That is definitely something Beyer couldn’t wait to see. “We are excited to see the PBA match up against the rest of the powerhouse teams in East Asia,” he said.
The Hong Kong-based American did not say it out loud, but the PBA’s initial three-year agreement to participate in the EASL should help his struggling league, which initially started out as an invitational tournament, grow in popularity.
“We have Filipinos in every part of Asia,” Vargas noted, then pointed out the immeasurable experience to be gained by PBA players being exposed to other brand of play and players from other Asian countries.
The EASL maiden offering will bring together eight of Asia’s best teams from the PBA, Japan B. League, Korean Basketball League, and Chinese Taipei P. League+, along with the seeded Chun Yu Phoenixes of Hong Kong.
The eight teams will be split into two groups for a round-robin play in games to be played weekly, with each squad playing a home-and-away game. The EASL will shoulder the bills for flights and accommodation in the group stage set from October 2022 to February 2023.
The top two from each group advance to the Final Four and play in sudden death semifinals and championship matches for the US$1 million prize money in March 2023.
Beyer said the EASL plans to live up to its slogan of ‘Terrific Together.’ “It’s what we intend to do with this exciting format,” he said.
The vast possibilities for the EASL are something is not lost on Vargas. “It’s an ideal venue for exposure and opportunities for teams and players,” he said.
“Each team will have the opportunity to play with the best talent against tested teams and the very best in the region,” added Vargas. “The home-and-away format will also give fans the opportunity to experience not only the games but also the culture of each country they visit.
“The EASL promises exciting games at a very high level of competition and the commitment of each league to bring in the best of each is a very big plus to the PBA.”
This early, Beyer said that expansion is already something they are looking at, possibly within the next two to three years. A women’s side is also something they would consider in the future.
