EASL Terrific 12. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The East Asia Super League (EASL) has gained the approval of the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) for its regional championship where some of the games will be held here.
The support from GAB, the country’s regulatory body for professional sports, is crucial to the EASL plans to get its home-and-away tournament going as scheduled.
“The first season will launch in October 2021. October 20 to be exact. And in the first format of home and away competition, we’re going to have eight teams in total split into two small groups and in each of the small groups we’ll have a Philippine team representative from the PBA,” Beyer said in a virtual press conference. “It’s special. For us, it’s an honor to have the vote of confidence from GAB.”
“The Games and Amusements Board (GAB) through a letter has replied officially to sir Matt and sir Dioceldo on its application to be allowed to play here,” said GAB chair Baham Mitra, who was also joined in the presser by Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy.
Aside from the Philippines, clubs from China, Korea and Japan are also expected to participate.
Last month, Fiba announced it sealed a 10-year agreement with the EASL with basketball’s governing body giving the league the go-signal to run an annual league for top professional clubs in the region.
The EASL has held several tournaments before such as the Super 8 and Terrific 12 since its formation in 2017.
Last year, San Miguel Beer, TNT and Blackwater competed in The Terrific 12 in Macau. The Beermen made the semifinals but lost to former NBA veteran Lance Stephenson and China’s Liaoning Flying Leopards.