Chiba Jets win Cebu title, first home-and-home season in Eastern Premier League ends on a high note
A basketball extravaganza came to a close in Cebu, the second largest city in the Philippines. The city known for its sun, sand and basketball welcomed the Eastern Premier League's Ultimate Final Four. When the organizers first announced that the tournament would be held here, I couldn't help but wonder: why choose this place?
Posters of the Eastern Premier League were everywhere along the road of the dugout. It was sunset when I arrived in Cebu. On the way to my hotel by car, I marveled at the basketball courts densely lined along the road, as if the land was overflowing with basketball everywhere.
The Philippines, a country of basketball. Here, I witnessed the local people's fervor for basketball. Under the setting sun, I saw a group of children in simple clothes, some even running barefoot on the court, and their enthusiasm infected me.
Basketball is not just a sport here, it's more like a religion, a daily part of their lives. On Nalusuan Island, about an hour's flight from Mactan, I still see locals shooting hoops.
When I walked into the Dunk Tank Dome on March 10th and saw the Filipino fans cheering enthusiastically, I understood why the Eastern Super League brought the event here. This is the first time that Cebu has hosted an international basketball tournament, and the Chiba Jets became the first "international champions".
While Cebu's Slam Dunk Dome Arena facility isn't top-notch, Sports Biz understands that a new arena near the city center is nearing completion and more international basketball events may be held there in the future.
The second season of the East Super League, the first of the home-and-away format, was capped off with the Ultimate Four in Cebu. on March 8, East Super League CEO Bruce Lee and COO Fusheng Ma had an in-depth conversation with the media, reviewing the season and looking ahead to the next season.
From the first match on Oct. 11 to the finals on March 10, the East Super League has continued to progress, both in terms of the increase in viewers and the expansion of the sponsor lineup. TV viewers have reached about 5 million, and sponsors have increased from a few in the early days to eight at the finals stage, Ma Fusheng said.
Lee emphasized that the attraction of the East Super League lies in the tournament itself, and he hopes to maintain a good relationship with sponsors. It is reported that the East Super League plans to expand to 16 teams next season, including two new league teams.
The tight schedule is a challenge for participating teams. Take the Chiba Jets for example, they completed multiple matches in a short period of time. Despite this, the team still cherishes the opportunity to interact with Asian teams.
Looking ahead, the Eastern Super League plans to bring together the top college basketball teams in East Asia and create a women's basketball version of the Eastern Super League. But for now, Lee and Ma Fusheng said, the focus remains on polishing the Eastern Premier League.
