PH to host East Asia Super League Final Four Weekend
Asian league executives including PBA’s Willie Marcial during the EASL Draw on Tuesday at Shangri-La The Fort. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines will stage the East Asia Super League (EASL) Season 1 Final Four, a three-day event starting on March 3, the league announced Wednesday.
Choosing the Philippines as the neutral site is only fitting with the country known for its passion for basketball.
“We couldn’t ask for a better city to host the first EASL Final Four. I would like to thank the local government authorities, our colleagues at the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), and the Filipino fans for welcoming us. The Final Four weekend will be unique and memorable, bigger than any event EASL has ever held, featuring a music festival and a variety of fan activations,” said EASL CEO Matt Beyer.
“The decision to stage the inaugural EASL Final Four in Manila this March is a welcome development. The Philippines is a basketball-loving country and Filipino fans will be following the EASL games closely. Hosting the Final Four would be an exciting prelude to the FIBA World Cup as our country opens its doors to the global basketball community next year,” said PBA commissioner Willie Marcial.
TNT is the first of two teams to earn the right to represent the Philippines in the inaugural home-and-away season after clinching a spot in the Philippine Cup Finals.
San Miguel Beer and Meralco dispute the other slot in Game 7 of their semifinals series on Wednesday.
The EASL Finals will cap off the weekend on March 5 with a music festival happening a day earlier.
As of now, no COVID-19 testing and quarantine are required for fully vaccinated travelers to the Philippines.
The Final Four staging also comes five months before the country hosts the Fiba World Cup.
“Having recently spent time in Manila for the EASL inaugural grouping ceremony, I can say with certainty that this is a great decision by EASL to host the Final Four Weekend in this magnificent city. Manila is truly a basketball city with some of the biggest and liveliest crowds,” said KBL Commissioner Kim Hee Ok.
Reigning KBL champion Seoul SK Knights and runner-up Anyang KGC will represent the Korean Basketball League (KBL) in the meet, the P. League + of Chinese Taipei is sending the Taipei Fubon Braves. The B. League of Japan will have the Utsonomiya Brex and Ryukyu Golden Kings while the Bay Area Dragons are representing Greater China.
The Final Four of the second EASL season in 2024, meanwhile, will take place in Okinawa, Japan.
“The prefecture of Okinawa and the OCVB couldn’t be happier to partner with EASL in the planning and promotion of the 2024 EASL Final Four. We are thrilled that Okinawa has been chosen as the destination for this global sporting event at our state-of-the-art Okinawa arena,” said Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau Chairman Yoshiro Shimoji.
“We are promoting a ‘Sports Island Okinawa,’ and we are confident that it is a world-class place with great sports resources. The EASL Final Four solidifies Okinawa as a world class destination for sports and entertainment. We look forward to hosting all of the guests taking part in the EASL Final Four.”
