With resident PBA powerhouses like TNT, San Miguel, and Meralco having competed in the EASL, CEO Henry Kerins said it would be an honor to have Brgy. Ginebra also finally join the league in the future.
MACAU—With 2024-25 East Asia Super League (EASL) season down to its final weekend, CEO Henry Kerins has expressed his desire to see Barangay Ginebra San Miguel compete in the regional tournament in the near future.
The Gin Kings were originally set to join the EASL in 2023, but later begged from joining the tournament.
For the 2024-25 season, the PBA was represented by the San Miguel Beermen and the Meralco Bolts, who earned their spot by being Season 48 Commissioner's Cup and Philippine Cup champions, respectively.
However, EASL success eluded PBA teams once again as San Miguel finished bottom of Group A with an 0-6 record. Meanwhile, Meralco nearly reached the Final Four before falling to the New Taipei Kings in the final Group B match for a 2-4 record in fourth place.
Amid the rising competition in the league, Kerins remains hopeful that the Tim Cone-led squad will eventually take part in the competition, provided they meet league qualifications.
As of this writing, Ginebra is currently ahead 3-1 in its best-of-seven series against the NorthPort Batang Pier in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, with Game 5 set for March 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We’ll see if they can get into the Finals, but look, we want the best. The other teams want the best. The Filipino fans want the best,” Kerin said during a sit-down interview with the Filipino media at the Studio City Event Center here.
"That’s a one of a kind team. Obviously, we’d be honored and love to have Ginebra be part of this. I think all the other fans in Asia, players, and teams would love to have that opportunity too, so we’ll see how the cookie crumbles."
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Being the most popular team in the PBA, Ginebra, with the likes of Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, and RJ Abbarientos, will be expected to draw bigger crowds for the EASL locally and abroad, where thousands of OFWs are stationed.
But beyond Ginebra’s popularity, the EASL chief emphasized that the league prioritizes competition above all else.
“Every market’s important to us. Every team has a different strength. Ginebra carries a huge weight in the PBA market, " Kerin explained.
"But really what we’ve seen through this experience, and I can tell you on a per game basis, it’s about the competition. Those games that are close are the best broadcast."
While Ginebra’s participation remains uncertain, Kerins made it clear that the EASL would welcome the PBA powerhouse with open arms. As it stands, the EASL invite the champion and the losing finalist from its member leagues like the B.LEAGUE in Japan and Korea's KBL.
With the PBA offering three champions in one season, the EASL typically pick among the available champions or Finals teams, as was the case the with the Beermen and the Bolts. During the season where Ginebra was initially invited, the Gin Kings were the losing finalist to TNT in the Season 47 Governors' Cup.
“We want competitive games, and ultimately, we want the best of the best,” Kerin concluded.