The East Asia Super League disbanded its house team, Bay Area, in an online meeting held on Friday afternoon.
The decision was abrupt, as the Dragons had already begun their practices in preparation for both the 2023-24 PBA Commissioner’s Cup and the EASL tournament.
Players and staff were surprised by the sudden decision, according to multiple sources from Tiebreaker Times.
According to another source, the decision was primarily financial, as Bay Area did not hold back on expenditures in its first season despite the cancellation of the league’s home and away games.
The Dragons had also made significant investments in imports, including former NBA pros Myles Powell and Andrew Nicholson, while the team stayed at the luxurious Shangri-La in BGC, Taguig, for almost six months.
Head coach Brian Goorjian was also informed of the decision before Australia’s important game against Slovenia in the FIBA Basketball World Cup at the Okinawa Arena.
Last season, EASL had hoped for a home-and-away format, with games scheduled in Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and the Philippines on a weekly basis. However, logistical challenges prevented this, and they settled for a one-week event in Okinawa, which was won by Anyang KGC.
Bay Area had already established a home base in Hong Kong for the season. The PBA had even planned having overseas games there.
The team had also recently announced new signings such as Cedrick Barefield, Ramon Cao, Seva Chan, Adli Kuerban, and Oliver Xu, while retaining their key players that helped them to a runners-up finish in the last Commissioner’s Cup and third place in the EASL proper.
The EASL is currently working on compensation for the services rendered by the players this season.
