On July 17, the PBA Board of Governors will convene with an item on their schedule regarding selecting the two teams that will compete for the league in EASL's new home-and-away season starting in October. According to the established regulation, the reigning champion and the second-place team should be the ones representing the PBA in EASL; however, certain situations could affect whether these favored teams can participate. EASL is recognized as the competition where top-tier clubs face off and highlights the finest talent from the area.
TNT remains the leading team to symbolize the PBA after securing victories in both the Governors' and Commissioner's Cups this season. The Tropang 5G has advanced to the Philippine Cup final, having already clinched their spot. As for the second option, Barangay Ginebra ranks as the runner-up behind TNT in the last two conferences. Nevertheless, Ginebra's head coach, Tim Cone, simultaneously serves as the Gilas manager, and there are two upcoming FIBA World Cup qualification periods scheduled for November of this year and February next year. It could prove challenging for Cone to fully dedicate himself to the EASL despite assurances from the leagues that they'll pause operations during FIBA events. Keep in mind that the PBA is about to start its 50th season in October, which means Cone will have plenty on his plate.
The Philippine Cup quarterfinalists Magnolia and Meralco are said to be considering participation in the EASL, although neither team has secured a championship this season. During the inaugural regular season of the EASL, TNT and Meralco stood as representatives of the PBA, each managing to secure one victory out of six matches. In the subsequent season, San Miguel Beer and Meralco took part, with the Beermen going without wins in their six games, while the Bolts narrowly missed advancing to the Final Four after falling to New Taipei in an overtime match for the final spot.
The advancements of EASL are impressive. Initially having eight teams, it increased to ten during its second season and will now grow to twelve for the upcoming third season. To date, the confirmed participants for the third season qualifiers include the Utsonomiya Brex, Ryukyu Golden Kings, and Alvark Tokyo from Japan's B-Leauge; the Seoul SK Knights and Changwon LG Sakers from South Korea's KBL; the Taoyuan Pilots and Taipei Fubon Braves from Taiwan's P.League+; the Ulaanbaatar Xac Broncos, champions of Mongolia's league; as well as Hong Kong Eastern and Macau Black Bears. Two remaining spots are reserved for the PBA.
As they kick off the third season, EASL introduced a fresh "winged" emblem along with a new tagline "Your Game" as part of their formal brand transformation. The symbol features an imaginative representation of a basketball equipped with wings, embodying EASL's drive and aspirations. "Your Game" conveys the idea that "every city, every court, every play is a vital element of the boundary-pushing adventure shared with Asia's leading teams and players...since without supporters, there would be no EASL."