List of clubs in the German Football League

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Main article: German Football League

This is a List of clubs in the German Football League, including all clubs who played in the league while its official name was American football Bundesliga.

The American football Bundesliga was formed in 1979, consisting of six clubs. It was renamed to German Football League in 1999. From its inaugural season to the end of the 2015 season, 71 different clubs have played in the league, with the Frankfurt Universe becoming the 72nd team to enter the league in 2016. Of these clubs, the Munich Cowboys have spent the most seasons in the league, 35 of a possible 38 as of 2016, followed by the Berlin Adler with 34, both clubs being founding members of the league. The record number of championships, the German Bowl, have been won by the New Yorker Lions, formerly the Braunschweig Lions, with eleven wins. The Lions are also the record holder in division championships, with twelve, while the Berlin Adler hold the record for play-off participations with 24.[1][2][3]

Overview[]

The league was formed with six club in 1979, with the top two teams after the regular season contesting the German Bowl. From 1980, onwards the league was always split into a northern and southern division. From 1986 to 1990 these two divisions were further subdivided, resulting in a four division format. Since 1991, it has been playing as a two division league again, north and south.

The German champions have been, from the inaugural season, determined in the German Bowl. From 1981, onwards play-offs were held to determine the two teams playing in the German Bowl. In 1981, the play-offs consisted of four teams, from 1982 onwards of eight. From 1986 to 1990 twelve teams qualified for the play-offs, with the four division champions receiving a bye for the first round. Since 1991, the format has returned to eight teams. The play-off contenders are evenly spread over each division, meaning, in the current two division format the best four teams in each division qualify.[1]

List of clubs[]

The list of clubs in the league from its inception in 1979 to the present season, sorted by the last season a club played in the league:[1]

Club No First Last PO Div Bowl Seasons (Bowl)
Munich Cowboys 39 1979 Present 22 6 1 1993
Cologne Crocodiles 27 1981 Present 21 3 1 2000
Allgäu Comets 2 17 1985 Present 6 — — —
Stuttgart Scorpions 29 1986 Present 20 2 — —
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 23 1988 Present 18 10 4 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018
Berlin Rebels 14 1992 Present 4 — — —
New Yorker Lions1 27 1994 Present 22 15 12 1997–1999, 2005–2008, 2013–2016, 2019
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 21 1996 Present 15 4 1 2010
Marburg Mercenaries 18 2003 Present 13 5 — —
Dresden Monarchs 18 2003 Present 15 — — —
Frankfurt Universe 5 2016 Present 4 — — —
Potsdam Royals 3 2018 Present — — — —
Ravensburg Razorbacks 1 2021 Present — — — —
Saarland Hurricanes 15 2001 Present 3 — — —
Hildesheim Invaders 6 1990 2019 1 — — —
Ingolstadt Dukes 3 2017 2019 1 — — —
Kirchdorf Wildcats 2 2018 2019 — — — —
Düsseldorf Panther 31 1979 2019 18 9 6 1983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1995
Hamburg Huskies 4 2015 2018 1 — — —
Berlin Adler 35 1979 2017 24 9 6 1987, 1989–1991, 2004, 2009
Rhein-Neckar Bandits 5 2012 2016 2 — — —
Franken Knights 3 14 1986 2015 5 — — —
Cologne Falcons 6 2005 2014 2 — — —
Hamburg Blue Devils 16 1995 2013 12 2 4 1996, 2001–2003
Wiesbaden Phantoms 3 2011 2013 — — — —
Lübeck Cougars 1 2012 2012 — — — —
Assindia Cardinals 11 1986 2011 2 — — —
Plattling Black Hawks 3 2009 2011 1 — — —
Mönchengladbach Mavericks 1 2011 2011 1 — — —
Weinheim Longhorns 4 2007 2010 — — — —
Darmstadt Diamonds 6 1990 2008 2 — — —
1 2004 2004 — — — —
Rüsselsheim Razorbacks 5 8 1996 2003 6 3 — —
4 1997 2000 1 — — —
2 1999 2000 1 — — —
Paderborn Dolphins 2 1998 1999 — — — —
1 1999 1999 — — — —
Hanau Hawks 17 1980 1998 13 2 — —
Nürnberg Rams 4 16 1983 1998 14 4 — —
4 1992 1995 2 — — —
2 1981 1994 — — — —
6 7 1986 1994 — — — —
3 1991 1994 1 — — —
Bad Homburg Falken 12 1981 1993 5 1 — —
Dortmund Giants 10 1981 1993 5 — — —
9 1985 1993 4 — — —
Badener Greifs 8 1986 1993 6 4 — —
1 1992 1992 — — — —
Red Barons Cologne 9 1983 1991 7 1 1 1988
München Rangers 5 1987 1991 1 — — —
Ansbach Grizzlies 12 1979 1990 11 7 3 1981, 1982, 1985
7 1984 1990 3 — — —
7 7 1984 1990 3 — — —
6 1985 1990 1 — — —
3 1988 1990 — — — —
2 1989 1990 — — — —
2 1989 1990 — — — —
1 1990 1990 — — — —
2 1988 1989 — — — —
8 1 1989 1989 — — — —
6 1982 1988 2 — — —
5 1983 1988 — — — —
1 1987 1987 — — — —
Bremerhaven Seahawks 5 1979 1986 1 — — —
1 1986 1986 — — — —
Frankfurter Löwen 6 1979 1984 6 3 2 1979, 1980
2 1983 1984 — — — —
3 1981 1983 — — — —
2 1982 1983 1 — — —
2 1981 1982 — — — —
1 1982 1982 — — — —
1 1982 1982 — — — —
2 1980 1981 — — — —
1 1981 1981 — — — —
1 1980 1980 — — — —
1 1980 1980 — — — —

Key[]

Denotes club plays in the GFL 2019. Denotes club plays in a league below the GFL in 2019. Club defunct.
Club Name of club
No Number of seasons in league
First First season in league
Last Last season in league
PO Play-off qualification
Div Number of division titles won
Bowl Number of German Bowls won
Seasons Seasons German Bowls were won in
  • 1 Played as Braunschweig Lions from 1987 to 2010, as Hygia Lions in 2011 and as New Yorker Lions since 2012.
  • 2 Played as Kempten Comets from 1982 to 1993 and as Allgäu Comets since 1994.
  • 3 Played as Rothenburg Knights from 1984 to 1994 and as Franken Knights since 1995.
  • 4 Played as Nürnberg Rams from 1981 to 1997 and, again, since 2007. Played as Noris Rams from 1988 to 1998.
  • 5 Played as Rüsselsheim Razorbacks from 1989 to 2002 and, again, from 2007 to 2010 and as Rhein Main Razorbacks from 2003 to 2006.
  • 6 Played as Hilden Hurricanes from 1983 to 1989 and as Solingen Hurricanes from 1990 to 1998.
  • 7 Played as Bonner Jets from 1982 to 1989 and as Troisdorf Jets since 1990.
  • 8 Played as Augsburg Ants from 1986 to 1987 and as Königsbrunn Ants since 1988.

Season placings[]

The placings in the league from its inaugural season in 1979 to the present one:[1]

Bundesliga[]

The Bundesliga era from 1979 to 1998:

Single division[]

Six clubs competed in the inaugural 1979 season with the Frankfurter Löwen winning the league and the German Bowl. Runners-up in both were the Ansbach Grizzlies while the Berlin Bären, now the Berlin Adler came third and the Bremerhaven Seahawks, Munich Cowboys and Düsseldorf Panther followed behind in this order.

North[]

Bundesliga North 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98
Braunschweig Lions 4 5 4 2 1
Hamburg Blue Devils 4 2 1 2
Cologne Crocodiles 2 1 2 2 3 4 2 4 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 3
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 5 4 4
Düsseldorf Panther 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 5 3 3 2 1 1 5 5
Paderborn Dolphins 6
Berlin Adler 5 6 4 3 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 6 6
Berlin Rebels 5 5 5 6
5 5 6 5 6 6 6
7 4 7
8 4 2 4 6 3 4 4 7
Dortmund Giants 6 7 2 3 2 2 2 6 6 8
7
Red Barons Cologne 3 5 6 2 3 2 1 2 3
Hildesheim Invaders 4 8
4 5 6 6 3 3 4
Assindia Cardinals 3 4 5 4 5
6 4 3 5 3 4 5
5 6
5 6
6 7 5 4 6
6
Bremerhaven Seahawks 3 3 7 6
4 5
5
4 7
8
Frankfurter Löwen 1 1
7

South[]

Bundesliga South 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98
Stuttgart Scorpions 4 5 6 6 6 8 4 3 6 1
Rüsselsheim Razorbacks 5 5 2
Hanau Hawks 2 2 6 2 2 2 3 3 4 7 2 2 1 2 1 3
Munich Cowboys 3 4 2 2 4 4 4 6 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 4 3 4
4 5
Noris Rams 3 7 3 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 4 3 2 1 2 6
4 5 4 5
Franken Knights 5 6 3 5 6
7 6
Allgäu Comets 6 2 3 2 6 4 5 5 6 7
Badener Greifs 1 1 2 1 1 3 6 7
Bad Homburg Falken 5 6 5 5 4 5 1 2 3 4 2 8
Darmstadt Diamonds 2 6 7
München Rangers 5 5 4 2 8
8 5 3 5 4 5
Ansbach Grizzlies 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 5
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 4 5 6
4 5 6
6 7
7
7
7 3 7 3 4 6
6
Frankfurter Löwen 3 4 4
5 8
6

GFL[]

The German Football League era from 1999 to present:

North[]

GFL North
  • v
 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Dresden Monarchs 4 3 3 3 6 4 3 3 5 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 * 1
Potsdam Royals 5 6 * 2
Cologne Crocodiles 4 1 4 3 5 5 4 5 * 3
New Yorker Lions 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 5 4 6 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 * 4
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 3 4 6 6 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 4 3 3 2 6 7 * 5
Berlin Rebels 6 5 5 6 5 4 4 3 4 * 6
Hildesheim Invaders 5 7 7 3 *
Elmshorn Fighting Pirates *
Düsseldorf Panther 5 3 3 5 6 6 3 4 7 7 7 8 8
Hamburg Huskies 4 6 6 8
Berlin Adler 4 3 2 4 5 2 3 1 2 4 2 4 5 6 7 8
Cologne Falcons 5 4 5 6 8 3
Hamburg Blue Devils 2 5 1 2 2 4 2 2 4 5 7 6
Lübeck Cougars 8
Mönchengladbach Mavericks 2
Assindia Cardinals 5 5 6 4 5 7
6
Paderborn Dolphins 6

South[]

GFL South
  • v
 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 4 4 3 2 2 3 3 5 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 * 1
Saarland Hurricanes 5 5 5 5 4 5 6 6 7 5 6 4 3 8 2
Munich Cowboys 2 1 1 6 5 6 3 6 5 4 8 3 4 5 6 7 4 7 * 3
Allgäu Comets 5 2 4 5 3 6 * 4
Ravensburg Razorbacks * 5
Marburg Mercenaries 6 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 3 2 3 6 7 3 5 3 * 6
Frankfurt Universe 2 2 2 2 * 7
Stuttgart Scorpions 4 4 2 2 4 3 3 2 1 2 3 4 3 4 6 2 3 5 6 8 4 * 8
Ingolstadt Dukes 4 6 5 *
Kirchdorf Wildcats 7 8
Rhein Neckar Bandits 2 4 7 7 8
Franken Knights 3 6 3 2 4 5 7 8 8
Wiesbaden Phantoms 5 6 8
Plattling Black Hawks 5 3 7
Weinheim Longhorns 4 4 4 6
Darmstadt Diamonds 4 5 6
Rhein Main Razorbacks 1 2 3 1 1
3 5
5 6
6

Key[]

German Bowl winners German Bowl runners up Divisional champion Play-off participation
  • In 1979 the league was placed in a single division format with six clubs.
  • League table for the 1980 season not available.
  • From 1986 to 1990 the northern and southern divisions were subdivided into two divisions.

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Football-history (in German) Historic American football tables and results from Germany, accessed: 23 October 2014
  2. ^ Geschichte Archived 2017-10-28 at the Wayback Machine (in German) AFVD website, accessed: 23 October 2014
  3. ^ GFL Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine (in German) AFVD website, accessed: 23 October 2014

External links[]

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