FIBA partners up with East Asia Super League to launch ‘Champions League-style’ basketball event in 2021

FIBA deal ‘a litmus test of the legitimacy of our business’, says CEO of Hong Kong-based EASL

New competition will be formatted like football’s Uefa Champions League and include teams from continent’s top divisions

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The partnership between FIBA and East Asia Super League will introduce a Champions League-style competition between top Asian teams next year. Photo: Handout

Published: 2:00pm, 20 Aug 2020Updated: 10:22pm, 20 Aug 2020

World basketball governing body FIBA has announced a 10-year agreement with Hong Kong-based East Asia Super League (EASL), which includes official FIBA Asia recognition and support for a brand new annual competition.

Professional teams in the region – from China, Japan, South Korea and the Philippines – will compete in the inaugural “Champions League-style” competition scheduled for launch in October 2021.

“The recognition of the EASL is based on a shown commitment to developing basketball in the region, and is in line with FIBA’s club competition strategy that is to shape international club competitions,” FIBA secretary general Andreas Zagklis said in a press release.

EASL chief executive officer Matt Beyer explained that discussions of a partnership have been ongoing since its previously named Asia League’s Super 8 competition in Studio City, Macau in 2017. The deal comes at a time when the continent is positioned as the hub for international basketball, what with last year’s FIBA World Cup being held in China, the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the 2023 FIBA World Cup to be co-hosted by Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines.

East Asia Super League CEO Matt Beyer, also a fluent Mandarin speaker, addresses the media before a competition in Macau in 2019. Photo: Handout

“As FIBA moves into a greater focus on club competition, recognition of a strong regional league such as EASL makes total sense especially as it encompasses China, Japan, Korea and Philippines; a potential fan base of 2 billion people,” Beyer told the Post.

“FIBA is the global regulator of basketball and the organiser of major national team competitions. That automatically makes FIBA a litmus test of the legitimacy of our business from the launch of the league.”