History

The Super 8: Five-day tournament featuring teams from China, Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei

• EASL’s first tournament in September 2017 was The Super 8: Macau Basketball Invitational. It consisted of eight teams and took place at the Studio City Event Centre in Macao. The teams taking part were: the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, the Shenzhen Aviators (formerly Shenzhen Leopards), the Goyang Orions, the Seoul Samsung Thunders, the Fubon Braves, Pauian Archiland, the Chiba Jets and the Ryukyu Golden Kings. The inaugural tournament was won by the Chiba Jets of the B.LEAGUE, with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions finishing second and the Goyang Orions third. The event attracted 20 million viewers worldwide on television and streaming coverage.
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• The Super 8 was the first time that top teams from China, Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei had ever come together to compete in a FIBA-recognized event. It was an action-packed five days, including a sensational backboard break that made news headlines globally, on ESPN, Al-Jazeera and other networks. The event included a reception attended by leadership from the participating teams and leagues, and government officials from Macao SAR, including the China Liaison Office and Sports Bureau of Macao.

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The Terrific 12: Tournament expands to 12 teams, adds music festival

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The Tournament

• 2018 saw Asia League organize two events: the Summer Super 8 developmental tournament, followed by an expanded main event, The Terrific 12.

• The Terrific 12 was organized in collaboration with the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR government and hosted at the Studio City Event Centre. The competing teams were: the Shandong Heroes (formerly Shandong Golden Stars), the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus, the Seoul Samsung Thunders, the Fubon Braves, the Yulon Luxgen Dinos, the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, the Ryukyu Golden Kings and the Chiba Jets. The Kings took first place, beating the defending champions the Lions, with the Samsung Thunders finishing third.
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• Television and streaming coverage of the 34 games across the two events in 2018 attracted more than 60 million viewers worldwide.

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Asia League Fest

• As part of The Terrific 12, a music concert dubbed “Asia League Fest” was held on the rest day between the two semifinals. The concert featured a host of talented musical artists from Greater China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines, including MC Jin, James Reid, Jess Connelly, Minzy, Julia Wu, Motherbasss, Blacklist Music and Soler.

The Terrific 12: Viewership soars as tournament grows

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The Tournament

• In 2019, EASL hosted The Terrific 12 at the Tap Seac Multi-Sports Pavilion in Macao, between September 17 and 22. The competing teams were: the Liaoning Flying Leopards, the Shenzhen Aviators, the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, the Chiba Jets, Niigata Albirex BB, the Ryukyu Golden Kings, Utsonomiya BREX, Jeonju KCC Egis, the Seoul SK Knights, Blackwater Elite, TNT KaTropa and the San Miguel Beermen. The tournament featured the EASL debut of former NBA player and CBA import Lance Stephenson, who was named Finals MVP for his 34-point performance as the Flying Leopards beat the SK Knights in a thrilling 83-82 game.
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• Enhanced promotion, coverage and marketing collaborations with the participating teams helped increase total television and streaming viewership to more than 117 million.

The Clinic: Inspiring the next generation

• During the rest day between Group Stage and the semifinals, some of the leading players from the tournament visited local schools in Macao in an initiative coordinated by EASL. Local children got the chance to meet and play with the players in friendly games and training drills.

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Investment in marketing and content: EASL develops brand with suite of digital content

• During 2020, with sports events in Asia shut down by the Covid-19 pandemic, EASL began investing heavily in digital content and marketing. This developed the new EASL brand in preparation for the launch of the first, full-length season. It also positioned EASL as a hub for content from East Asia's best leagues.

• EASL produced a host of original video content that put the region's best players front-and-center, developing their profiles and giving fans unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to players' lives. This included original shows such as: "EASL BALLERIFIC", "EASL Full-Court Press", "EASL CAM" and "EASL All-Access".

• The shows featured the likes of CBA Finals MVP Sonny Weems, PBA icon Jarred Dillinger, B.LEAGUE star Ryo Tawatari, and many more.

EASL announces plans for pan-regional tournament

• On December 1, 2021, EASL announced multi-year partnerships with East Asia's top basketball leagues to create a new, pan-regional, season-long "champions league"-style tournament. The participating leagues would be: the B.LEAGUE (Japan), the KBL (Korea), the PBA (Philippines) and the P. LEAGUE+ (Chinese Taipei). The top-performing teams from each league each season would qualify for the EASL. The tournament would feature a Group Stage with home and away games, followed by a four-team finals.

EASL Champions Week is hosted in Japan

• The first "EASL"-branded tournament took place in March 2023, as Asian sport started to emerge from pandemic restrictions. EASL Champions Week was hosted in Utsunomiya and Okinawa, Japan, on March 1-5, 2023.
• The competing teams were: the champion and the runner-up from the 2021-22 seasons of the B.LEAGUE, the KBL and the PBA; the 2021-22 champion of the P. LEAGUE+; and the Bay Area Dragons team, that represnted the Greater China region.
• The Korean teams showed their strength, with Anyang KGC beating rivals Seoul SK Knights in the Championship Game.

Inaugural EASL season takes place

• The first full-length EASL season took place between October 2023 and March 2024. The qualifying teams were: the 2022-23 champion and runner-up from the B.LEAGUE, the KBL and the P. LEAGUE+; and two of the best-performing teams from the 2022-23 season of the PBA.
• Japan's Chiba Jets were crowned the first EASL champions at the Final Four in Cebu, the Philippines, in March 2024. The Jets beat Korea's Seoul SK Knights in a thrilling final. Korea's Anyang Jung Kwan Jang Red Boosters won the Third Place Game, defeating Chinese Taipei's New Taipei Kings.