International basketball league in the Far East
East Asia Super League
|
|
Sport
| Basketball
|
---|
Founded
| 2016
|
---|
First season
| 2017
|
---|
Motto
| The Hub for Basketball in East Asia
|
---|
No. of teams
| 8
|
---|
Country
| Various
|
---|
Continent
| FIBA Asia
(
Asia
)
|
---|
Most recent
champion(s)
| Chiba Jets
(1st title)
|
---|
Most titles
| (1 title each)
[a]
|
---|
Official website
| easl
.basketball
|
---|
The
East Asia Super League
[b]
(
EASL
), is an international
basketball
league
featuring clubs from
Japan
,
South Korea
,
Philippines
and
Taiwan
.
From 2017 to 2019, four pre-season tournaments (the Super 8 and the Terrific 12) were organized by EASL, featuring clubs from selected professional basketball leagues in the region. With official backing from
FIBA Asia
, EASL has made a transition towards a full-fledged league. The first such season is to be held in 2023 and feature eight teams.
History
[
edit
]
The East Asia Super League was co-founded by Matt Beyer and Henry Kerins
[1]
as the Asia League as a response to what the founders deem as a lack of high-level international tournaments featuring basketball clubs in the region
[2]
also taking into account the population in the region, about 2 billion, which could be a potential market for a regional inter-club tournament. The Asia League was envisioned to be East Asian counterpart of the NBA's
Las Vegas Summer League
where professional teams from Asia could compete against each other with minimal conflict with their mother league's schedules.
[3]
Their stated mission is to be able to organized basketball tournaments featuring club sides from top Asian leagues with the organizers naming the
CBA
(China),
B.League
(Japan),
KBL
(South Korea),
PBA
(Philippines),
SBL
(Taiwan), and the
ABL
(Southeast Asia, China, and Taiwan).
[4]
Preseason tournaments era (2017?2020)
[
edit
]
The Super 8
[
edit
]
The first tournament by EASL, then called the Asia League, was the Super 8: Macau Basketball Invitational,
[5]
involving eight teams in September 2017 at the
Studio City Event Centre
in Macau.
[6]
The competing teams in attendance were the
Zhejiang Guangsha Lions
,
Shenzhen Aviators
(formerly Shenzhen Leopards),
Goyang Orions
,
Seoul Samsung Thunders
,
Fubon Braves
,
Pauian Archiland
,
Chiba Jets
, and
Ryukyu Golden Kings
.
Organizers initially dubbed the tournament as the "Asia League," but this led to a legal dispute with
FIBA
over the name of the league when FIBA deemed the tournament's branding and marketing to be in conflict with its own
FIBA Asia Champions Cup
. The dispute led to the renaming of the competition to "Super 8,"
[5]
and the tournament was then officially recognized by FIBA after the league organizers sought legal assistance of
Quinn Emanuel's
Thomas Werlen, who has represented FIFA in investigations of the
United States Department of Justice
.
[2]
The inaugural Super 8 tournament was won by the
Chiba Jets
of the Japanese
B. League
,
[7]
with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions placing second and the Goyang Orions taking third place. The event garnered 21 million views worldwide.
A second edition of the tournament, dubbed the Summer Super 8, followed in July 2018 at the
Macau East Asian Games Dome
,
[8]
and featured the introduction of two professional club teams from the PBA, the
NLEX Road Warriors
and
Blackwater Elite
. The eight competing teams in attendance were the
Guangzhou Loong Lions
,
Xinjiang Flying Tigers
, Seoul Samsung Thunders,
Incheon Electroland Elephants
, NLEX Road Warriors, Blackwater Elite,
Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka
, and
Formosa Dreamers
. The Guangzhou Loong Lions won first place, while the Seoul Samsung Thunders took second place and the Incheon Electroland Elephants placed third.
The Terrific 12
[
edit
]
In 2018, the Super 8 tournament was expanded into a larger tournament format called The Terrific 12, featuring 12 teams instead of eight. The Terrific 12 (2018) tournament was organized in collaboration with and supported by the Sports Bureau of Macau SAR government and hosted at the Studio City Event Centre.
The competing teams were the
Shandong Heroes
(formerly Shandong Golden Stars), Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, Xinjiang Flying Tigers,
Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus
, Seoul Samsung Thunders, Fubon Braves,
Yulon Luxgen Dinos
,
Nagoya Diamond Dolphins
, Ryukyu Golden Kings and Chiba Jets. The Ryukyu Golden Kings won first place, while the Guangzhou Loong Lions placed second and the Seoul Samsung Thunders took third place.
In 2019, Asia League rebranded to the "East Asia Super League," and it hosted the second iteration of The Terrific 12 at the
Tap Seac Multi-Sports Pavilion
in
Macau
from September 17?22. The competing teams were the
Liaoning Flying Leopards
, Shenzhen Aviators, Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, Chiba Jets,
Niigata Albirex BB
, Ryukyu Golden Kings,
Utsonomiya BREX
,
Jeonju KCC Egis
,
Seoul SK Knights
, Blackwater Elite,
TNT KaTropa
and
San Miguel Beermen
.
Terrific 12 (2019) also featured the EASL debut of former NBA player and CBA import
Lance Stephenson
, who earned MVP awards for his 34-point outburst in the Terrific 12 (2019) championship finals, a close 83?82 finish for the Liaoning Flying Leopards over the Seoul SK Knights. The Zhejiang Guangsha Lions won second place and the San Miguel Beermen took home third in the event.
Plans for a 2020 iteration of The Terrific 12 tournament on September
[9]
have been cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
.
[10]
Regular EASL (2023?)
[
edit
]
Plans and postponements
[
edit
]
In August 2020,
[11]
EASL and FIBA entered into a multi-year agreement granting EASL FIBA's recognition to hold a full-fledged in-season league featuring clubs from Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Taiwan (representing "
Greater China
").
[12]
The inaugural season would feature 8 teams. It was planned that they would play home-and-away games against each other with the top four teams advancing to a Final Four event.
[13]
P. League+
(Taiwan),
[14]
the
Philippine Basketball Association
,
[15]
the
Korean Basketball League
[16]
(
South Korea
), and the
B.League
[16]
(
Japan
) committed to send teams for the EASL. The
Bay Area Dragons
, a franchise team meant to represent "
Greater China
" was also formed by the EASL.
[17]
The EASL received high profile financial support.
The Raine Group
along with former NBA stars such as
Metta Sandiford-Artest
,
Baron Davis
and
Shane Battier
in December 2021 reportedly invested in the EASL.
[18]
The launch of the EASL would be hindered by the
COVID-19 pandemic
,
[19]
with plans to hold its inaugural home-and-away tournament in 2022 cancelled.
[20]
2023 season: Champions Week
[
edit
]
In place of the cancelled 2022 home-and-away tournament, the
2023 EASL Champions Week
would be organized. It was originally meant as a pre-season tournament for the
2023?24 season
.
[21]
Anyang KGC
were the first champions.
[22]
The tournament would be later retroactively designated as the EASL's first season.
[23]
The second season, the
2023?24 tournament
had the Chiba Jets as its champions.
The third iteration, the 2024?25 season would still have eight teams. An expansion is planned for the 2025?26 season; with eight more additional teams planned to be accommodated for a total of 16 teams.
[24]
[25]
Leagues represented
[
edit
]
The East Asia Super League starting from the
2023 EASL Champions Week
is represented by teams from selected domestic leagues.
[26]
From 2021 to 2023, the EASL maintained its own franchise team independent from any other domestic leagues, the
Bay Area Dragons
.
[26]
The league considers the franchise team and the
P. League+
championship team of Taiwan as representatives of "
Greater China
".
[21]
Preseason tournaments
[
edit
]
The following leagues were represented in the EASL's preseason tournaments from 2017 to 2020.
Tournament champions
[
edit
]
Summary
[
edit
]
Super 8 (2017?2018)
[
edit
]
The Terrific 12 (2018?2019)
[
edit
]
East Asia Super League (2023?present)
[
edit
]
Medal table
[
edit
]
Preseason tournaments era (2017?2020)
[
edit
]
Media coverage
[
edit
]
[27]
See also
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
Excluding the pre-season tournaments era prior to 2023
- ^
Official name in other languages
- ^
a
b
Taiwan, officially
Republic of China
. The organizers of the EASL
[21]
and FIBA uses the designation of "
Chinese Taipei
".
- ^
Champions Week, pre-season tournament, retroactively designated as Season 1
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Building Asian basketball's first 'Champions League'
"
.
South China Morning Post
. 25 June 2020
. Retrieved
23 January
2021
.
- ^
a
b
Deveney, Sean.
"How To Start A Major New Asian Basketball League In The Age Of Coronavirus"
.
Forbes
. Retrieved
2 September
2020
.
- ^
Lintag, Paul (21 July 2018).
"BASKETBALL SUPER 8: Inside the Asia League's grand basketball plans for the region"
.
ABS-CBN Sports
. Archived from
the original
on 15 September 2018
. Retrieved
15 September
2018
.
- ^
"About Asia League"
.
Asia League
. Archived from
the original
on 15 March 2019
. Retrieved
6 January
2019
.
- ^
a
b
Atkin, Nicolas (11 August 2017).
"The battle for basketball in Asia: upstart Macau tournament ruffles Fiba feathers"
.
South China Morning Post
. Retrieved
15 September
2018
.
- ^
Odeven, Ed (14 September 2017).
"Jets, Kings set for inaugural Super 8 tourney"
. Retrieved
15 September
2018
.
- ^
Lintag, Paul (25 July 2018).
"Two Pinoy teams to see action in new Macau joust"
.
ABS-CBN Sports
. Archived from
the original
on 16 September 2018
. Retrieved
15 September
2018
.
- ^
"Asia League Summer Super 8 begins in Macau"
.
Asia League
. 6 August 2018
. Retrieved
6 January
2019
.
- ^
Dy, Rchard (10 June 2020).
"EASL head hopes for PBA participation in Terrific 12 in September"
.
ESPN5
. Retrieved
3 September
2020
.
- ^
"East Asia Super League basketball competition to debut in 2021"
.
newsd
. Newsd Media Pvt Ltd. 7 July 2020
. Retrieved
7 July
2020
.
Unfortunately, the 2020 tournament, scheduled to be held in Macao in September, was canceled earlier this month due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ^
"FIBA and East Asia Super League enter multi-year agreement to elevate club basketball in region"
.
FIBA.basketball
. Retrieved
30 November
2021
.
- ^
"East Asia Super League basketball competition to debut in 2021"
.
newsd
. Newsd Media Pvt Ltd. 7 July 2020
. Retrieved
7 July
2020
.
- ^
Taljaard, Tobie (7 July 2020).
"East Asia Super League basketball competition to debut in 2021"
.
www.xinhuanet.com
. Xinhua. Archived from
the original
on 18 August 2020
. Retrieved
4 February
2021
.
- ^
Henson, Joaquin (3 September 2021).
"EASL moving forward"
.
The Philippine Star
. Retrieved
3 September
2021
.
- ^
Beltran, Nelson (5 November 2021).
"PBA officially joins EASL"
.
The Philippine Star
. Retrieved
5 November
2021
.
- ^
a
b
"Super League shakes up Asian hoops"
.
China Daily
. 2 December 2021
. Retrieved
2 December
2021
.
- ^
Moura, Nelson (1 December 2021).
"2022 East Asia Super League format to include new GBA basketball team franchise with local players"
.
MacauBusiness.com
. Macau News Agency
. Retrieved
2 December
2021
.
- ^
"Ex-NBA stars and Hong Kong firm join forces to launch new league in Asia"
.
South China Morning Post
. 1 December 2021
. Retrieved
2 December
2021
.
- ^
Leyba, Olmin (27 September 2022).
"EASL puts opener on hold"
.
The Philippine Star
. Retrieved
2 September
2023
.
- ^
Ramos, Gerry (26 September 2022).
"EASL's maiden home-and-away tournament cancelled"
.
Sports Interactive Network Philippines
. Retrieved
2 September
2023
.
- ^
a
b
c
"East Asia Super League Debuts Season 1 of Premier Home-and-Away Pan-Regional League in 2022"
. East Asia Super League. Archived from
the original
on 22 February 2022
. Retrieved
22 February
2022
.
The newly formed Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes and the championship team from Chinese Taipei's P.LEAGUE+, are the Greater China representatives.
- ^
"Anyang KGC win all-Korean final at East Asian club tournament"
.
Korea JoongAng Daily
. 6 March 2023
. Retrieved
2 September
2023
.
- ^
"East Asia Super League to return with new format for second season"
.
Korea JoongAng Daily
. 21 June 2023
. Retrieved
21 June
2023
.
- ^
Terrado, Reuben (14 March 2024).
"EASL set to expand to 16 teams, eyes China, more PBA squads"
.
Sports Interactive Network Philippines
. Retrieved
16 March
2024
.
- ^
"Five cities eye next EASL Final Four"
.
The Philippine Star
. 12 March 2024
. Retrieved
16 March
2024
.
- ^
a
b
"East Asia Super League wants to bring professional basketball team to Hong Kong"
.
South China Morning Post
. 1 December 2021
. Retrieved
2 December
2021
.
- ^
https://www.easl.basketball/watch
|
---|
2023?24 teams
|
- Japan
- Philippines
- South Korea
- Taiwan
|
---|
Pre-season tournaments
| |
---|
Regular seasons
| |
---|
Franchise teams
| |
---|