PBA ready to tweak Governors’ Cup sched as EASL eyes early March season tip-off

MANILA, Philippines – The PBA is looking to tweak its 2022 season-ending Governors’ Cup schedule to accommodate the possible Manila hosting of the East Asia Super League (EASL) Champions Week, per an EASL release on Thursday, October 6.

“I think [it’s] doable. We will just adjust the schedule of San Miguel and TNT,” PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said in Filipino regarding the Philippines’ two representing teams in the regional meet now slated for March 1 to 5, 2023.

Similar talks with different leagues and team officials from the other participating countries have been made by EASL CEO Matt Beyer.

“Our goal is to bring everyone together in a path of least disruption to the domestic leagues,” he said.

The EASL season was supposed to tip off this October 12 with a home-and-away format before the initial schedule was scrapped due to ongoing conflicts with COVID-19 protocols among the participating countries.

“The format is different from what we initially conceptualized, but we believe it’s the responsible way. Our mission remains to create the premier basketball league and entertainment experience in Asia,” Beyer continued.

“Controlling variables and operating our season in the most responsible manner reduces uncertainty for all our stakeholders as international travel throughout the region rebounds incrementally.”

The top two PBA Philippine Cup finishers are joined in the EASL by the champions and runners-up from the Korean Basketball League (KBL) and the Japan B. League, Taiwan’s P. League+ champion Taipei Fubon Braves, and the EASL’s own Bay Area Chun Yu Phoenixes (Bay Area Dragons in the PBA). – Rappler.com