EASL: Pro Basketball Becomes a Pan-Asian Spectacle

The East Asia Super League (EASL), Asia’s professional basketball competition, brings together leading teams from across the region to compete against one another. With 22 broadcast partners and games attracting over nine million views apiece on social media platforms, Hong Kong-based EASL is raising Asia’s pro basketball profile to dizzy heights. 

Henry Kerins, Chief Executive Officer of EASL, is putting Hong Kong at the centre of an ambitious project to develop one of the world’s best pro basketball leagues in Asia. “We developed the EASL concept just before COVID,” said Kerins, “obviously not an ideal time to launch a sporting project! But being based in Hong Kong was a huge advantage. The city is such an easy place to do business and raise capital, with many knowledgeable investors here.”

Although Hong Kong is not widely noted for basketball, the city is an ideal destination as the headquarters of EASL. “Hong Kong is a flight of no more than four hours from all our major markets,” said Kerins, “putting us right at the centre of everything.” Other benefits for EASL include the city’s low tax environment and its strong legal system supporting international contractual agreements. 

With support from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), EASL has already expanded from 8 to 10 top teams from the professional basketball leagues of Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong and Macao, increasing to 16 in 2025.

Leveraging GBA Opportunities

EASL games especially appeal to Asian fans because they are played in local time-zones, and offer local Asia-based heroes for audiences to bond with. Kerins is especially excited about how EASL is tapping into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), a densely populated area full of young, affluent, and basketball-friendly consumers. Utilising its multi-media platforms, EASL has been actively engaging with digital-savvy GBA consumers to grow its fan base there. According to Kerins, “For the millions of basketball lovers in China, EASL represents a major new horizon.”  Recognising this market potential, the company recently hired new staff in Shanghai, to supplement its offices in Macao and the GBA. 

In Hong Kong, a major step forward for EASL will be the Kai Tak Sports Park. “Hong Kong has always lacked a premier basketball venue, but the new Kai Tak courts are all we could wish for,” said Kerins. “I believe this new major initiative of the Government will have a huge impact on the future of pro basketball in Hong Kong, and the wider sports and entertainment in the city.” Another source of momentum has been InvestHK, which has facilitated ongoing support for EASL throughout its establishment and expansion phases via networking opportunities, visa application assistance and marketing efforts.