The P.League+ (PLG) has approved a new franchise to ensure the league maintains a four-team format for the upcoming season, it said yesterday, after a failed attempt to cooperate with the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL).
The PLG executive council approved an application from Yankey Engineering, which would establish a subsidiary focused on sports and entertainment to operate the team, the league said in a statement.
The announcement coincided with the exit of the Kaohsiung Steelers, who joined the league in the summer of 2021 and played four seasons.
Photo: CNA
The Steelers applied to withdraw from the league, a request PLG accepted.
While the addition of Yankey might seem sudden, it is crucial for the PLG, which has struggled to maintain competitive variety after last year’s off-season, when the league shrank from six teams to four.
Last month, the PLG and TPBL said they were exploring ways to cooperate for the upcoming season, but that fell through after the PLG approached Hung Kuo Group about forming a fourth team — a move the TPBL considered a contravention of the terms of collaboration.
The PLG denied the accusation, while in a separate statement Hung Kuo thanked the league for its invitation.
Hung Kuo said it would not formally join any leagues before the 2026-2027 season, making it urgent for the PLG to find another franchise this summer.
Yankey is based in Hsinchu City, although the team’s home court has yet to be decided.
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