East Asia Super League Explained

East Asia Super League
Pixels:200
Upcoming Season:2024–25 East Asia Super League
Sport:Basketball
Founded:2016
Inaugural:2017
Motto:The Hub for Basketball in East Asia
Teams:10
Country:Various
Continent:FIBA Asia (Asia)
Champion: Chiba Jets (1st title)
Most Champs: (1 title each)
East Asia Super League
S:东亚超级联赛
T:東亞超級聯賽

The East Asia Super League (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

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)

The Super 8

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," 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

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–)

Plans and postponements

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

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

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]

League Country or region Berth(s)
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Expansion teams Hong Kong
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Preseason tournaments

The following leagues were represented in the EASL's preseason tournaments from 2017 to 2020.

Country or region League
Chinese Basketball Association
Super Basketball League
Korean Basketball League
Philippine Basketball Association
None (selection team)

Tournament champions

Summary

Super 8 (2017–2018)

SeasonFinalistsSemi-finalists
width=70pxNationChampionswidth=60pxResultwidth=70pxNationRunners-upwidth=70pxNationThird placewidth=60pxResultwidth=70pxNationFourth place
2017 JapanChiba Jets83–73 ChinaZhejiang Guangsha LionsGoyang Orions88–71 JapanRyukyu Golden Kings
2018 ChinaGuangzhou Loong Lions78–72Seoul Samsung ThundersIncheon Electroland Elephants67–62 PhilippinesNLEX Road Warriors

The Terrific 12 (2018–2019)

SeasonFinalistsSemi-finalists
width=70pxNationChampionswidth=60pxResultwidth=70pxNationRunners-upwidth=70pxNationThird placewidth=60pxResultwidth=70pxNationFourth place
2018 JapanRyukyu Golden Kings85–76 ChinaGuangzhou Loong LionsSeoul Samsung Thunders105–92 JapanNagoya Diamond Dolphins
2019 ChinaLiaoning Flying Leopards83–82Seoul SK Knights ChinaZhejiang Lions91–89 PhilippinesSan Miguel Beermen
2020Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

East Asia Super League (2023–present)

SeasonFinal Four hosts of teamsFinalistsSemi-finalists
width=70pxNationChampionswidth=70pxNationRunners-upwidth=70pxNationThird placewidth=70pxNationFourth place
2023 Japan8Anyang KGCSeoul SK Knights Hong KongBay Area Dragons JapanRyukyu Golden Kings
2023–24 Philippines8 JapanChiba JetsSeoul SK KnightsAnyang KGCNew Taipei Kings
2024–25 TBA8To be determined
2025–26 TBA16

Medal table

Preseason tournaments era (2017–2020)

width=140pxNation !width=70px !width=70px !width=70px !width=70pxTotal
2 2 1 5
2 0 0 2
0 2 3 5

Media coverage

[27]

Country/regionBroadcaster
WorldwideCourtside 1891
DAZN
SPOTV
Various television / OTT streaming services
Pilipinas Live

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Building Asian basketball's first 'Champions League' . 23 January 2021 . South China Morning Post . 25 June 2020 . en.
  2. Web site: Deveney. Sean. How To Start A Major New Asian Basketball League In The Age Of Coronavirus. 2020-09-02. Forbes. en.
  3. News: BASKETBALL SUPER 8: Inside the Asia League's grand basketball plans for the region. Lintag. Paul. 21 July 2018. ABS-CBN Sports. 15 September 2018. 15 September 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180915192344/https://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2018/07/21/super-8-inside-asia-league-s-grand-basketball-plans-44746. dead.
  4. Web site: About Asia League . https://web.archive.org/web/20190315125517/https://www.theasialeague.com/about-asia-league/ . 2019-03-15 . Asia League . en-US . 2019-01-06.
  5. News: Atkin . Nicolas . The battle for basketball in Asia: upstart Macau tournament ruffles Fiba feathers . 15 September 2018 . South China Morning Post . 11 August 2017.
  6. News: Odeven . Ed . Jets, Kings set for inaugural Super 8 tourney . 15 September 2018 . 14 September 2017.
  7. News: Lintag . Paul . Two Pinoy teams to see action in new Macau joust . 15 September 2018 . ABS-CBN Sports . 25 July 2018 . 16 September 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180916022629/https://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2018/07/25/terrific-12-two-pinoy-teams-see-action-new-macau-tilt-44906 . dead .
  8. Web site: Asia League Summer Super 8 begins in Macau. 2018-08-06. Asia League. en-US. 2019-01-06.
  9. News: Dy . Rchard . EASL head hopes for PBA participation in Terrific 12 in September . September 3, 2020 . ESPN5 . June 10, 2020.
  10. News: East Asia Super League basketball competition to debut in 2021 . 7 July 2020 . newsd. . Newsd Media Pvt Ltd . 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..
  11. Web site: FIBA and East Asia Super League enter multi-year agreement to elevate club basketball in region. 2021-11-30. FIBA.basketball. en.
  12. News: East Asia Super League basketball competition to debut in 2021 . 7 July 2020 . newsd. . Newsd Media Pvt Ltd . 7 July 2020.
  13. News: Taljaard . Tobie . East Asia Super League basketball competition to debut in 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200818224731/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-07/07/c_139194001.htm . dead . August 18, 2020 . 4 February 2021 . www.xinhuanet.com . Xinhua . 7 July 2020.
  14. News: Henson . Joaquin . EASL moving forward . 3 September 2021 . The Philippine Star . 3 September 2021.
  15. News: Beltran . Nelson . PBA officially joins EASL . 5 November 2021 . The Philippine Star . 5 November 2021.
  16. News: Super League shakes up Asian hoops . 2 December 2021 . China Daily . 2 December 2021.
  17. News: Moura . Nelson . 2022 East Asia Super League format to include new GBA basketball team franchise with local players . 2 December 2021 . MacauBusiness.com . Macau News Agency . 1 December 2021.
  18. News: Ex-NBA stars and Hong Kong firm join forces to launch new league in Asia . 2 December 2021 . South China Morning Post . 1 December 2021 . en.
  19. News: Leyba . Olmin . EASL puts opener on hold . 2 September 2023 . The Philippine Star . 27 September 2022.
  20. News: Ramos . Gerry . EASL's maiden home-and-away tournament cancelled . 2 September 2023 . Sports Interactive Network Philippines . 26 September 2022 . en.
  21. Web site: East Asia Super League Debuts Season 1 of Premier Home-and-Away Pan-Regional League in 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220222161913/https://easl.basketball/east-asia-super-league-debuts-season-1-of-premier-home-and-away-pan-regional-league-in-2022/. 22 February 2022. East Asia Super League . 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..
  22. News: Anyang KGC win all-Korean final at East Asian club tournament . 2 September 2023 . . 6 March 2023 . en.
  23. News: East Asia Super League to return with new format for second season . 21 June 2023 . . 21 June 2023 . en.
  24. News: Terrado . Reuben . EASL set to expand to 16 teams, eyes China, more PBA squads . 16 March 2024 . Sports Interactive Network Philippines . 14 March 2024 . en.
  25. News: Five cities eye next EASL Final Four . 16 March 2024 . The Philippine Star . 12 March 2024.
  26. News: East Asia Super League wants to bring professional basketball team to Hong Kong . 2 December 2021 . South China Morning Post . 1 December 2021 . en.
  27. Web site: Broadcast | EASL .