East Asia Super League

The East Asia Super League (EASL; simplified Chinese: 东亚超级联赛; traditional Chinese: 東亞超級聯賽; pinyin: Dōng Yà Chāojí Liánsài; Japanese: 東アジアスーパーリーグ; Korean: 동아시아 슈퍼리그), is an international basketball league featuring clubs from Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Taiwan.

Not to be confused with the West Asia Super League.

East Asia Super League
Upcoming season or competition:
Current sports event 2023–24 East Asia Super League
SportBasketball
Founded2016
Inaugural season2017
MottoThe Hub for Basketball in East Asia
No. of teams8
CountryVarious
ContinentFIBA Asia (Asia)
Most recent
champion(s)		South Korea Anyang KGC (1st title)
Most titlesSouth Korea Anyang KGC (1 title)[lower-alpha 1]
TV partner(s)EASL YouTube
Official websiteeasl.basketball
East Asia Super League
Traditional Chinese東亞超級聯賽
Simplified Chinese东亚超级联赛

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 (Chinese Taipei), and the ABL (Southeast Asia, China, and Taiwan).[4]

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,"[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
Logo of The Terrific 12 tournament.

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]

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 "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 with the second season set to last from late 2023 to 2024.[23]

Leagues represented

The East Asia Super League starting from the 2023 EASL Champions Week is represented by teams from selected domestic leagues.[24]

From 2021 to 2023, the EASL maintained its own franchise team independent from any other domestic leagues, the Bay Area Dragons.[24]

The league considers the franchise team and the P. League+ championship team of Taiwan as representatives of "Greater China".[25]

LeagueNationBerth(s)
B.League Japan2
Korean Basketball League South Korea2
P. League+ Chinese Taipei2
Philippine Basketball Association Philippines2

Preseason tournaments

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

NationLeague
 ChinaChinese Basketball Association
 Chinese TaipeiSuper Basketball League
 JapanB.League
 South KoreaKorean Basketball League
 PhilippinesPhilippine Basketball Association
None (selection team)

Tournament champions

Super 8 (2017–2018)
Season Finalists Semi-finalists
Nation Champions Result Nation Runners-up Nation Third place Result Nation Fourth place
2017  Japan Chiba Jets 83–73  China Zhejiang Guangsha Lions  South Korea Goyang Orions 88–71  Japan Ryukyu Golden Kings
2018  China Guangzhou Loong Lions 78–72  South Korea Seoul Samsung Thunders  South Korea Incheon Electroland Elephants 67–62  Philippines NLEX Road Warriors

The Terrific 12 (2018–2019)
Season Finalists Semi-finalists
Nation Champions Result Nation Runners-up Nation Third place Result Nation Fourth place
2018  Japan Ryukyu Golden Kings 85–76  China Guangzhou Loong Lions  South Korea Seoul Samsung Thunders 105–92  Japan Nagoya Diamond Dolphins
2019  China Liaoning Flying Leopards 83–82  South Korea Seoul SK Knights  China Zhejiang Lions 91–89  Philippines San Miguel Beermen
2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic

East Asia Super League (2023—present)
Season Final Four hosts Finalists Semi-finalists
Nation Champions Nation Runners-up Nation Third place Nation Fourth place
2023[lower-alpha 2]  Japan  South Korea Anyang KGC  South Korea Seoul SK Knights  Hong Kong Bay Area Dragons  Japan Ryukyu Golden Kings
2023–24 TBA To be determined

Preseason tournaments era (2017–2020)
Nation Gold Silver BronzeTotal
 China2215
 Japan2002
 South Korea0235

See also

Notes
  1. Excluding the pre-season tournaments era prior to 2023
  2. Champions Week, pre-season tournament, retroactively designated as Season 1

References
  1. "Building Asian basketball's first 'Champions League'". South China Morning Post. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  2. Deveney, Sean. "How To Start A Major New Asian Basketball League In The Age Of Coronavirus". Forbes. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  3. 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.
  4. "About Asia League". Asia League. Archived from the original on 15 March 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  5. 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.
  6. Odeven, Ed (14 September 2017). "Jets, Kings set for inaugural Super 8 tourney". Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  7. 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.
  8. "Asia League Summer Super 8 begins in Macau". Asia League. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  9. Dy, Rchard (10 June 2020). "EASL head hopes for PBA participation in Terrific 12 in September". ESPN5. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  10. "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.
  11. "FIBA and East Asia Super League enter multi-year agreement to elevate club basketball in region". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  12. "East Asia Super League basketball competition to debut in 2021". newsd. Newsd Media Pvt Ltd. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  13. 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.
  14. Henson, Joaquin (3 September 2021). "EASL moving forward". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  15. Beltran, Nelson (5 November 2021). "PBA officially joins EASL". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  16. "Super League shakes up Asian hoops". China Daily. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  17. 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.
  18. "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.
  19. Leyba, Olmin (27 September 2022). "EASL puts opener on hold". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  20. Ramos, Gerry (26 September 2022). "EASL's maiden home-and-away tournament cancelled". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  21. "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.
  22. "Anyang KGC win all-Korean final at East Asian club tournament". Korea JoongAng Daily. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  23. "East Asia Super League to return with new format for second season". Korea JoongAng Daily. 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  24. "East Asia Super League wants to bring professional basketball team to Hong Kong". South China Morning Post. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  25. "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+, will be the Greater China representatives.
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