The Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL) on Friday ruled out “collaboration” as a path toward reconciliation with the P. League+ (PLG), saying the latter reneged on a prior commitment, but it is still willing to discuss a merger.
Before talks began, the PLG had pledged not to seek a fourth franchise if the two leagues were to collaborate — in the form of a soft merger in which the two leagues would continue to exist, but play as one league — the TPBL said in a statement.
However, the PLG said in a statement on Thursday that it had accepted an application from the Hung Kuo group to join the league.
Photo: Taipei Times
In the statement, the PLG said the league and its three member teams welcomed the application, but had informed the applicant that collaboration with the TPBL remained their top priority over the next two years.
The TPBL on Friday criticized the PLG for pursuing a fourth team, saying the move “has undermined the mutual trust and respect on which collaboration was based.”
“To prevent such unexpected developments from recurring and to protect the rights of the TPBL and its seven franchises, the TPBL will, from now on, engage in talks with the PLG only on the basis of a full merger between the two leagues,” the statement said.
According to the TPBL, the two leagues reached a preliminary consensus during their first face-to-face meeting earlier this month, covering matters such as a joint draft and season schedule.
The leagues had previously agreed to begin with collaboration as a stepping stone toward an eventual merger.
The TPBL’s latest statement could either accelerate that process or derail it once again, with the PLG seemingly having to choose between a merger or a separate four-team PLG, as was the case in the 2024-2025 season.
The development feels like deja vu for local basketball fans. In the summer of last year, the 11 teams from both leagues announced plans to pursue a merger, but those talks ultimately fell through.
The two leagues now have a total of 10 teams following the disbandment of the Kaohsiung Steelers.
TO THE TOP: After securing the international title on Saturday, Team Taiwan were to face Las Vegas to potentially win their 18th Little League World Series championship A team from Taipei’s Dong Yuan Elementary School won the Little League Baseball World Series’ international title on Saturday by defeating Aruba 1-0 in the annual baseball tournament held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The Taiwan team, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, were after press time last night to face a team from Las Vegas, Nevada, which beat a team from Fairfield, Connecticut, in the US championship 8-2. Taiwan are seeking to win their first Little League Baseball World Series title since 1996. “Really haven’t taken a moment to data dump right now on Taiwan,” Nevada manager T.J. Fescher said. “They’re a
‘CATASTROPHE’: Despite losing several key forwards in the summer transfer window, Bayern were up 3-0 in the first half before Harry Kane scored a hat-trick in the second Harry Kane hit a hat-trick, Michael Olise a double and newcomer Luis Diaz also scored as Bayern Munich made a “statement” against RB Leipzig 6-0 at home in the Bundesliga season opener on Friday. Bayern’s big-money arrivals, all brought in from the Premier League across the past three seasons, were dominant as the Bavarians begun their title defense in style. Olise scored twice in the first half, either side of a Diaz strike. Not to be outdone, Kane scored three goals in the second half — with two assists coming from Diaz, to bring Bayern’s total to 6-0. Kane told the Bundesliga
Kevin de Bruyne is to lead SSC Napoli’s Serie A title defense today when he makes his full debut at promoted US Sassuolo, but the champions head into the new season rocked by a long-term injury to star striker Romelu Lukaku. De Bruyne was, alongside aging icon Luka Modric, the big new name to arrive in Italy this summer and fans were hoping his linkup with Belgium teammate Lukaku would push Napoli to success both at home and in their return to the UEFA Champions League. The 34-year-old has suffered from hamstring injuries which caused him to miss significant chunks of the
Marc Marquez continued his winning streak as he cruised to victory in the Hungarian GP sprint by two seconds on Saturday night to pad his championship lead. It was a seventh straight Sprint victory for the Spaniard, who has also won the last six longer Sunday grand prix races on his factory Ducati. Fabio Di Giannantonio, an Italian with the VR46 Ducati satellite team was a distant second at Balaton Park, followed by his team-mate and compatriot Franco Morbidelli third. Marquez, a six-time world champion, started the race from pole position. “I felt someone really close on the first corner, from there I
RSS