- The EASL’s Final Four 2025 was held in Macau’s Studio City for the first time.
- Melco hopes it can leverage this event to further promote top-tier Asian basketball in Macau and the Greater Bay Area.
The 2025 East Asia Super League (EASL) Final Four wrapped up on 9 March 2025 at the Studio City Event Center in Macau, with Japan’s Hiroshima Dragonflies emerging as champions. In a tense final, they edged out Chinese Taipei’s Taoyuan Pauian Pilots 72-68, clinching the EASL title and a US$1 million prize. The runners-up walked away with US$500,000.
Earlier that day, in the third-place game, Chinese Taipei’s New Taipei Kings defeated Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings 84-80, securing third place. The victory earned them US$250,000 and marked a milestone for their star player, Jeremy Lin. The former NBA standout, now key figure in Asian basketball, celebrated his first podium finish in the region’s premier league.
EASL Chief Executive Officer Henry Kerins, speaking at a press conference on 7 March ahead of the event, said the season’s production has reached top-tier standards.
“From world-class broadcasts to an atmosphere that will bring the arena to life, we’re making the future of Asian basketball a reality,” Kerins said.
He revealed that, through partnerships with over 20 broadcasters, the event reached approximately 1.2 billion viewers worldwide.
The EASL is the premier championship league for basketball in East Asia, featuring the top men’s club teams from Taiwan (China), Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau.
In the post-event interview, Kerins noted that Macau proved a more suitable host city than last season’s venue, Cebu, Philippines, due to its convenient transportation for fans and media from Korea, Japan and China. He added, “Many of Macau’s integrated resorts now boast state-of-the-art sports facilities and infrastructure, offering conditions that are among the best in Asia.”
Kerins also praised the collaborative efforts of the Macau government and integrated resort operators in promoting economic diversification, calling it “a highly positive factor for a league brand that seeks sustainable growth.”
Kevin Benning, Melco Resorts & Entertainment’s Senior Vice President and Property General Manager of Studio City, echoed this optimism. He expressed hope that the company can leverage this event to collaborate with the EASL in promoting top-tier Asian basketball in Macau and the Greater Bay Area.
He thanked the Sports Bureau of Macao SAR for its long-standing support in fostering a vibrant sports culture and affirmed that Melco will continue partnering with the SAR Government to present diverse and exciting international sporting events, allowing global audiences to enjoy elite athletic performances while experiencing the unique charm of Macau and Studio City.
To promote Macau’s development as a “City of Sports” and ensure its “Golden Business Card” shines brighter than ever as a global metropolis, Melco continues to be committed to presenting quality sports events, including EASL’s “Macau Classic” and “Final Four” events, the “Macau Lin Dan Cup Badminton Open”, the “UIM Macao Grand Prix MotoSurf World Championship Finale”, and the upcoming “FISE Battle Of The Champions” skateboarding competition. Melco hopes to promote the vigorous development of Macau’s tourism industry by organizing international sports events and leveraging the linkage effect of cross-border integration of “tourism + sports”.
