Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times
(C) PBA Images

Basketball

Hong Kong Eastern to play home and away games if PBA partnership proceeds


Preliminary talks started on a positive note over lunch at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel last Thursday as PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and PBA Ginebra Board Governor Alfrancis Chua met with Hong Kong Eastern Chairman Frankie Yau, Sporting Director Tony Wong, and basketball team manager Oliver Lee to discuss a possible collaboration in the 2024-25 Commissioner’s Cup.

Hong Kong Eastern and Singapore Slingers are being considered as guest team options for the next Commissioner’s Cup.

In the 2022-23 season, the PBA welcomed the Bay Area Dragons, who reached the Finals and lost to Ginebra in an epic Game 7 duel that drew a record crowd of 54,589.

The Hong Kong Eastern officials were accompanied by EASL CEO Henry Kerins and EASL Philippine head Banjo Albano.

Chua said he would brief the PBA Board on the discussions, while Marcial tapped PBA Deputy Commissioner Eric Castro to join a task force with Wong, Lee, and Albano to iron out the details of an agreement.

Wong mentioned that Hong Kong Eastern plays with a single import of unlimited height, and the PBA is likely to adopt a similar rule for the Commissioner’s Cup.

2024-BCL-Asia-Hong-Kong-Eastern-Chris-Mclaughlin Hong Kong Eastern to play home and away games if PBA partnership proceeds Basketball News PBA  - philippine sports news

(C) FIBA.basketball

Marcial said that scheduling logistics are critical in the negotiations.

The PBA’s first conference, the Governors’ Cup, is set to begin on August 18 and scheduled to end on November 10 at the latest.

The PBA will then give way to the FIBA Asia Cup qualifying window on November 18-26 when Gilas plays New Zealand on November 21 and Hong Kong on November 24, both at home.

#ReadMore  Geje Eustaquio proud of Team Lakay’s next generation

The second conference, the Commissioner’s Cup, will start in late November or early December and end before the next FIBA Asia Cup qualifying window, where Gilas will play Chinese-Taipei on February 20 and New Zealand on February 23, both on the road.

If the PBA collaboration pushes through, Hong Kong Eastern plans to play six home games at the new Kai Tak Sports Park and six road games in Manila during the eliminations.

The 10,000-seat Kai Tak indoor sports facility may be ready late this year, and if it is, the proposal is to play three home games over a week in December and the other three over a week in January.

Two PBA teams may play in the first game of a Hong Kong doubleheader.

If Hong Kong Eastern qualifies for the playoffs, a home-and-away format may also be applied.

Chua said opening the PBA to the Hong Kong market is a pathway to larger exposure in East Asia.

“There are limitless marketing and sponsorship opportunities for both the PBA and Hong Kong Eastern,” he said.

“We’re looking at the big picture, and based on the Bay Area experience, this could start a new chapter in PBA history where East Asia becomes a major segment of our market. This is hand-in-hand with our EASL partnership.”

Written By


You May Also Like

Basketball

CJ Perez and San Miguel can’t wait for the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals to commence, given the opportunity for redemption ahead. The Beermen have...

Basketball

Ginebra ran away in the fourth quarter to beat Rain or Shine, 98-80, to claim the remaining twice-to-beat incentive for the PBA Season 49...

Basketball

San Miguel has clinched the No. 1 seed entering the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup quarterfinals following a 126-91 crushing of a NorthPort side...

Basketball

Zavier Lucero and Magnolia held off a late rally by TNT to escape with an 88-83 victory and secure the second twice-to-beat advantage in...

Basketball

Jason Perkins and Kenneth Tuffin delivered career-best performances to lead Phoenix to a commanding 124–109 victory over Blackwater, closing out their 2025 PBA Philippine...

Basketball

Schonny Winston and the Converge FiberXers held off a furious second-half rally by the San Miguel Beermen to escape with a thrilling 100-97 victory,...

Basketball

DUBAI – Meralco collapsed in the third and ultimately bowed to Ulaanbaatar Xac, 83-78, in a bitter end to its Basketball Champions League Asia...

Basketball

Cade Flores’ dominant double-double performance helped NorthPort deal a significant blow to NLEX’s top-seed aspirations, escaping with a thrilling 113-108 victory to snap an...

Advertisement