List of clubs in the 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 Cowboys381979Present22611993
Düsseldorf Panther311979Present18961983, 1984, 1986, 1992, 1994, 1995
Cologne Crocodiles261981Present21312000
Allgäu Comets 2161985Present6
Stuttgart Scorpions281986Present202
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns221988Present181042011, 2012, 2017, 2018
Hildesheim Invaders61990Present1
Berlin Rebels131992Present4
New Yorker Lions 1261994Present2215121997–1999, 2005–2008, 2013–2016, 2019
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes201996Present15412010
Marburg Mercenaries172003Present135
Dresden Monarchs172003Present15
Frankfurt Universe42016Present4
Ingolstadt Dukes32017Present1
Kirchdorf Wildcats22018Present
Potsdam Royals22018Present
Hamburg Huskies4201520181
Berlin Adler351979201724961987, 1989–1991, 2004, 2009
Saarland Hurricanes14200120173
Rhein-Neckar Bandits5201220162
Franken Knights 314198620155
Cologne Falcons6200520142
Hamburg Blue Devils161995201312241996, 2001–2003
Wiesbaden Phantoms320112013
Lübeck Cougars120122012
Assindia Cardinals11198620112
Plattling Black Hawks3200920111
Mönchengladbach Mavericks1201120111
Weinheim Longhorns420072010
Darmstadt Diamonds6199020082
Hannover Musketeers120042004
Rüsselsheim Razorbacks 581996200363
Landsberg Express4199720001
Aschaffenburg Stallions2199920001
Paderborn Dolphins219981999
Hanau Hornets119991999
Hanau Hawks1719801998132
Nürnberg Rams 41619831998144
Regensburg Royals4199219952
Erding Bulls219811994
Solingen Hurricanes 6719861994
Hamburg Silver Eagles3199119941
Bad Homburg Falken121981199351
Dortmund Giants10198119935
Monheim Sharks9198519934
Badener Greifs81986199364
Cologne Bears119921992
Red Barons Cologne9198319917111988
München Rangers5198719911
Ansbach Grizzlies121979199011731981, 1982, 1985
Düsseldorf Bulldozer7198419903
Troisdorf Jets 77198419903
Mainz Golden Eagles6198519901
Würzburg Pumas319881990
Bremen Buccaneers219891990
Rüsselsheim Crusaders219891990
Fürth Buffalos119901990
Ratingen Raiders219881989
Königsbrunn Ants 8119891989
Mannheim Redskins6198219882
Hamburg Dolphins519831988
Recklinghausen Chargers119871987
Bremerhaven Seahawks5197919861
Nürnberg Vikings119861986
Frankfurter Löwen6197919846321979, 1980
Starnberg Argonauts219831984
Stuttgart Stallions319811983
Essen Eagles2198219831
Solingen Steelers219811982
Herne Tigers119821982
Mönchengladbach Mustangs119821982
Straubing Bisons219801981
Krefeld Condors119811981
Neu Isenburg Adler119801980
Kitzingen Colts119801980

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 99
Braunschweig Lions 4 5 4 2 1 1
Hamburg Blue Devils 4 2 1 2 2
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 5 4 4 3
Cologne Crocodiles 2 1 2 2 3 4 2 4 3 3 2 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 4
Düsseldorf Panther 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 5 3 3 2 1 1 5 5 5
Paderborn Dolphins 6 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
Solingen Hurricanes 5 5 6 5 6 6 6
Hamburg Silver Eagles 7 4 7
Monheim Sharks 8 4 2 4 6 3 4 4 7
Dortmund Giants 6 7 2 3 2 2 2 6 6 8
Cologne Bears 7
Red Barons Cologne 3 5 6 2 3 2 1 2 3
Hildesheim Invaders 4 8
Düsseldorf Bulldozer 4 5 6 6 3 3 4
Assindia Cardinals 3 4 5 4 5
Troisdorf Jets 6 4 3 5 3 4 5
Bremen Buccaneers 5 6
Ratingen Raiders 5 6
Hamburg Dolphins 6 7 5 4 6
Recklinghausen Chargers 6
Bremerhaven Seahawks 3 3 7 6
Essen Eagles 4 5
Herne Tigers 5
Solingen Steelers 4 7
Mönchengladbach Mustangs 8
Frankfurter Löwen 1 1
Krefeld Condors 7

South

Bundesliga South 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
Rüsselsheim Razorbacks 5 5 2 1
Munich Cowboys 3 4 2 2 4 4 4 6 2 1 2 1 1 1 3 4 3 4 2
Aschaffenburg Stallions 3
Stuttgart Scorpions 4 5 6 6 6 8 4 3 6 1 4
Landsberg Express 4 5 5
Hanau Hornets 6
Hanau Hawks 2 2 6 2 2 2 3 3 4 7 2 2 1 2 1 3
Noris Rams 3 7 3 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 4 3 2 1 2 6
Regensburg Royals 4 5 4 5
Franken Knights 5 6 3 5 6
Erding Bulls 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
Mainz Golden Eagles 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
Würzburg Pumas 4 5 6
Rüsselsheim Crusaders 6 7
Fürth Buffalos 7
Königsbrunn Ants 7
Mannheim Redskins 7 3 7 3 4 6
Nürnberg Vikings 6
Frankfurter Löwen 3 4 4
Starnberg Argonauts 5 8
Straubing Bisons 6

GFL

The German Football League era from 1999 to present:

North

GFL North
0001020304 0506070809 1011121314 15 16 17 18 19
New Yorker Lions 22111 11125 46611 11111
Dresden Monarchs 43 33643 35322 22322
Hildesheim Invaders 5773
Berlin Rebels 6556 54434
Cologne Crocodiles 1435 545
Potsdam Royals 56
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 466 312 11134 33267
Düsseldorf Panther 335 66 3477 788
Hamburg Huskies 4668
Berlin Adler 432 45231 24245 678
Cologne Falcons 5456 83
Hamburg Blue Devils 51224 2244 76
Lübeck Cougars 8
Mönchengladbach Mavericks 2
Assindia Cardinals 556 4 57
Hannover Musketeers 6

South

GFL South
0001020304 0506070809 1011121314 1516171819
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 4432 23351 21111 11111
Frankfurt Universe 2222
Marburg Mercenaries 61 11212 12323 67353
Stuttgart Scorpions 42243 32123 43462 35684
Ingolstadt Dukes 465
Allgäu Comets 5 24536
Munich Cowboys 116 5636 54834 56747
Kirchdorf Wildcats 78
Saarland Hurricanes 5555 456 6756 438
Rhein Neckar Bandits 247 78
Franken Knights 36324 578 8
Wiesbaden Phantoms 568
Plattling Black Hawks 5 37
Weinheim Longhorns 444 6
Darmstadt Diamonds 456
Rhein Main Razorbacks 2311
Aschaffenburg Stallions 5
Landsberg Express 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. 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
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