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PBA makes room to include EASL in 2022 calendar
By Rey Joble
It’s green and go for PBA’s participation in the East Asia Super League.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial confirmed it on Tuesday during his guesting in the weekly PSA Forum.
"Nag-usap kami ni Mr. Matt Beyer (EASL CEO). Nagbigay na sila ng schedule. Home and away. October 12, away, then October 19, home. Ang alam ko ang kalaban natin either Japan or Korea. Tapos may November ulit,” said Marcial.
According to Marcial, he had already instructed deputy commissioner Eric Castro to work on the schedule and block off the participation of the teams which will represent the PBA in the fastest growing regional basketball league in Asia.
"Sinabi ko na rin sa board yan and OK naman kami. Kinausap ko na rin si deputy commissioner Eric Castro na i-adjust yung schedule.
Kung tatama doon at kung sinong mga teams ang pupunta, ia-adjust natin yung schedule para doon sa mga teams na pupunta. Hindi na muna natin palalaruin ng isang Linggo. Yun yung mga pinag-usapan namin. It's green and go and EASL. Excited na rin kami na maglaro sa East Asia,” added Marcial.
Beyer and his fellow executive Henry Kirins, shared the benefits of partnering with the PBA and making Asia’s pioneering professional basketball league a big part in the EASL’s expansion.
"I think the economics is one part. Then, the level of competition is another part.
We have a minimum revenue guaranteed to the PBA and that's on an annual basis, which is what we're going to give to any league,” said Beyer.
Outside of the revenue the PBA is set to receive just like the other leagues invited to field in their teams, the EASL is also offering a mouthwatering prize money to the winners.
“Then, we're also offering the first place team of those eight teams, the champion of the East Asia Super League, S1-million for the champion. The second place is $500,000 and third place is $250,000. For each game, there's going to be six games, three home and three away in the group stage, there's an appearance fee guaranteed to all teams. Road and travels are paid for,” added Beyer.
In handling the home and away competitions, the EASL is taking off the pressure from the PBA in terms of handling the TV production and coverage once the event takes place in the Philippines.
“We're also handling the broadcast production and even told the PBA we're going to handle the operations in the Philippines if it's not too much of a burden for the PBA to host the home games. We're taking all the risks completely off the table from any of the partners that we're working with. What we want to do and this is why like having a strong partnership with the leagues and the qualification system that we have is fair and transparent is so important to make sure that we build a wide base of fans in the countries. That's why it's an open system based on qualifications,” added Beyer.
Kirins, the chief finance officer of the EASL, sees the partnership with the PBA as a win-win situation as well as the other leagues involved.
"From my perspective with the other basketball leagues, it's the same thing how the PBA looks at this. It's a win-win for all the teams and all the leagues involved. Whether you look at the economics or you look at the exposure for the sponsors or you look at the Gilas national team, having a deeper international experience, meeting all types of players. I think that's something that is being taken into consideration. From my view, there's no downside here,” said Kirins.