Featured image credit: East Asia Super League
Basketball’s East Asia Super League (EASL) has announced plans to return to Macau’s Studio City Event Center during the 2024-25 season.
Four games will be played at the 5,000-capacity venue as part of a renewed partnership between the EASL and Melco Resorts & Entertainment. The games will collectively be known as the EASL Clash of Champions event.
The EASL and Melco Resorts & Entertainment have received support for the event from the Sports Bureau of Macau for the second consecutive year. Studio City hosted a Clash of Champions game in December 2023.
The first of this year’s four games will take place on October 30 and will feature Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings and the Macau Black Bears. The second game will be on November 6 and will pit Korea’s Busan KCC Egis against the Black Bears.
Games three and four will be held on December 11. Chinese Taipei’s Taoyuan Pauian Pilots will face Korea’s Suwon KT Sonicboom, before the New Taipei Kings face off against the Black Bears.
The Black Bears are one of two new teams entering the EASL for the league’s second full season. Hong Kong Eastern will also compete in the league for the first time.
The addition of Hong Kong Eastern and the Macau Black Bears increases the number of competing teams in the 2024-25 season from eight to 10 and ramps up representation from Greater China.
Studio City features 5,000 plush seats and 242 premium club seats. Sixteen VIP suites are available for reservation for the upcoming EASL games.
EASL chief executive Henry Kerins said: “EASL is excited to extend our long history and partnership with Melco Resorts & Entertainment and to bring five of Asia’s best basketball teams to Macau. EASL games provide unique sports entertainment experiences and Studio City creates the perfect stage. This is going to be an amazing atmosphere for our Macau and Greater Bay Area basketball fans.”
Kevin Benning, senior vice-president and property general manager of Studio City, added: “Melco is committed to delivering diversified world-class entertainment options to our guests. We are thrilled to be working with EASL to entertain sports fans with premier Asian basketball at Studio City as we bring more sports and entertainment to our beautiful city.”
The EASL’s 2024-25 season features 30 home-and-away group stage games and runs until February 2025. The Final Four begins on March 7.
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