2nd Bundesliga (ice hockey)

The 2nd Eishockey-Bundesliga was the second tier of Ice hockey in Germany until 2012/13 and has since been replaced by DEL2. Starting in 2002, the league was organized by the ESBG (de:Eishockeyspielbetriebsgesellschaft mbH), to which the league organization was outsourced from the DEB, the German ice hockey federation. In the 2012–13 season, it featured 13 teams.

2nd Bundesliga
SportIce hockey
Founded1973
Ceased2013
No. of teams13
CountryGermany Germany
Last
champion(s)
Bietigheim Steelers
Promotion toDEL
Eishockey-Bundesliga
Relegation toOberliga
Related
competitions
DEL
DEL2
Oberliga
Regionalliga
Official websiteOfficial ESBG website

History of the 2nd Ice Hockey Bundesliga

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The league was first introduced in the 1973–74 season as the second tier of German ice hockey, the level below the Ice hockey Bundesliga.

History up until 1994

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  • From 1973–74 to 1980–81 the league operated as the single-conference 2nd Bundesliga
  • In the 1981–82 season, it was divided into two conferences: 2nd Bundesliga Süd (southern division) and 2nd Bundesliga Nord (northern division)
  • For the 1982–83 season, it returned to a single-conference league due to a lack of clubs interested in playing in the league
  • Starting from the 1983–84 season until 1991–92, it was divided into the 2nd Bundesliga Süd and Nord again, with the top four clubs from each league meeting the bottom two Bundesliga clubs for a promotion round for two places in the Bundesliga
  • In the seasons 1992–93 and 1993–94, the league operated as one single division again

From 1994

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The large number of insolvencies of second division clubs in 1994 was the reason for the abolition of the 2nd Bundesliga and the introduction of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga with 18 teams, without promotion and relegation. A number of top clubs from the second division were admitted to the DEL.

Below the former 2nd Bundesliga, the Oberliga now became the highest league still under control of the DEB. The Oberliga was however renamed 1st Liga for the next couple of seasons, until returning to its old name.

From 1998

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As the highest single-division for the DEB, a new league was formed in 1998, receiving the name "Bundesliga". The decision to name the new league "Bundesliga" led to conflicts between the Deutschen Eishockey-Bund and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, since the DEL was of the opinion that it owned the right to call itself Bundesliga, being the highest league in the country. For this reason, the DEL logo also carries the name 1st Bundesliga in smaller letters below. Eventually, a compromise was reached, naming the new league 2nd Bundesliga instead.

From 1999

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Since 1999, the league became the 2nd Bundesliga again, which is organized today by the Eishockeyspielbetriebsgesellschaft (ESBG). As in the DEL, the clubs must undergo a strict financial examination.

Despite this fact, some clubs still found themselves in financial difficulties throughout the season and had to withdraw, like the EC Bad Nauheim in the past. The Moskitos Essen and Eisbären Regensburg both declared insolvency on 15 April 2008, being unable to meet their debts. Both clubs were immediately relegated from the 2nd Bundesliga.[1] Due to the structure of the 2nd Bundesliga, where all teams playing are separate companies operated by the mother club, the insolvency of one of those does not mean the club itself becomes insolvent.

In the 2008–09 season, the Tölzer Löwen had to declare insolvency and, despite coming second in the league, were relegated. Because the Füchse Duisburg had to return their DEL licence, the champion of the 2nd Bundesliga has the option of promotion to the DEL this season.

Promotion and relegation

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In November 2007, the DEL has introduced promotion to the league once more. The teams placed 15th and 16th in the DEL will play a best-of-seven series to determine which club faces the 2nd Bundesliga champion for a place in the league. There is however an ongoing dispute about those games as second division clubs can only have five foreign players on contract and therefore face a handicap in comparison to the DEL clubs with currently twelve.[2] For now, the ESBG has declared that no club from the 2nd Bundesliga would take part in these matches and therefore no promotion/relegation with the DEL will take place.[3]

The two bottom teams in the 2nd Bundesliga are relegated to the Oberliga and the top-two Oberliga teams promoted to this league.[4]

League champions

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Season Champion
1973–74 ESV Kaufbeuren *
1974–75 EV Rosenheim *
1975–76 Augsburger EV *
1976–77 ESV Kaufbeuren
1977–78 Augsburger EV *
1978–79 Duisburger SC *
1979–80 ESV Kaufbeuren *
1980–81 ERC Freiburg *
  • * The Team promoted into the Eishockey-Bundesliga
Season South North Championship Round
1981–82 EHC 70 München Duisburger SC EHC Essen
Season Regular Season Promotion Round
1982–83 ERC Freiburg ERC Freiburg *
  • * The Team promoted into the Eishockey-Bundesliga
Season South North Relegationround Eishockey-Bundesliga
1983–84 SV Bayreuth Preussen Berlin ECD Iserlohn 1
1984–85 SV Bayreuth Preussen Berlin SC Riessersee 1
1985–86 Augsburger EV Preussen Berlin Eintracht Frankfurt 1
1986–87 EHC Freiburg Preussen Berlin Preussen Berlin *
1987–88 EHC Freiburg Krefelder EV Preussen Berlin 1
1988–89 SV Bayreuth Krefelder EV EHC Freiburg 1
1989–90 SV Bayreuth ECD Sauerland EV Landshut 1
1990–91 EHC Nürnberg ECD Sauerland ESV Kaufbeuren *
1991–92 Augsburger EV EC Kassel Dynamo Berlin *
  • 1 denotes Bundesliga club taking part in the promotion round
  • * denotes Team promoted into the Eishockey-Bundesliga
Season Regular Season Play-Offs
1992–93 Augsburger EV SB Rosenheim *
1993–94 Augsburger EV Augsburger EV *
1998–99 ESC Moskitos Essen ESC Moskitos Essen *
1999–2000 Düsseldorfer EG Düsseldorfer EG *
2000–01 ERC Ingolstadt ERC Ingolstadt
2001–02 ERC Ingolstadt REV Bremerhaven
2002–03 SC Bietigheim-Bissingen EHC Freiburg
2003–04 EHC Wolfsburg EHC Wolfsburg
2004–05 EHC Straubing EV Duisburg
2005–06 REV Bremerhaven EHC Straubing
2006–07 Kassel Huskies EHC Wolfsburg
2007–08 Kassel Huskies Kassel Huskies
2008–09 SC Bietigheim-Bissingen SC Bietigheim-Bissingen
2009–10 SERC Wild Wings EHC München
2010–11 Ravensburg Towerstars Ravensburg Towerstars
2011–12 Landshut Cannibals Landshut Cannibals
2012–13 Bietigheim Steelers Bietigheim Steelers

2nd Bundesliga standings

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Club 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Düsseldorfer EG 3 1 DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL
Iserlohn Roosters
Iserlohner EC
6 6 DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL
Ingolstadt Panther
ERC Ingolstadt
13 2 1 1 DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL
Straubing Tigers
EHC Straubing
10 9 8 3 1 5 DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL
Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg
EHC Wolfsburg
6 7 1 DEL4 8 2 DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL
EHC München 11 6 9 2 2 DEL DEL DEL
Bietigheim Steelers
SC Bietigheim-Bissingen
8 4 3 1 6 8 3 9 7 1 4 10 11 1
Schwenninger Wild Wings
Schwenninger ERC
DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL2 8 4 6 4 4 8 1 4 3 2
EV Landshut
Landshut Cannibals
DEL DEL5 4 4 6 2 5 2 5 8 1 3
Ravensburg Towerstars
EV Ravensburg
11 4 3 1 7 4
Fischtown Pinguins
REV Bremerhaven
5 2 12 5 1 3 12 9 11 3 9 5
SB Rosenheim
Starbulls Rosenheim
DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL5 7 4 6
Heilbronner Falken
Heilbronner EC
10 9 2 4 5 91 3 3 6 2 2 7
Lausitzer Füchse
ES Weisswasser
15 12 9 8 14 7 13 13 13 6 8 13 6 8
Eispiraten Crimmitschau
ETC Crimmitschau
5 15 10 11 12 8 12 12 12 10 9
Dresdner Eislöwen
ESC Dresden
7 11 11 9 6 13 10
Hannover Indians
EC Hannover Indians
13 9 8 111
ESV Kaufbeuren 13 11 13 9 14 10 5 5 12
SC Riessersee 8 11 66 13 3 14 5 10 7 2 12 13
Freiburger Wölfe
EHC Freiburg
5 3 8 10 6 DEL 9 101 7 14 111
Kassel Huskies
EJ Kassel
DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL DEL 1 1 DEL DEL4
Duisburg Füchse
EV Duisburg
14 9 5 2 DEL DEL DEL DEL1
Tölzer Löwen 9 4 3 7 116 12 12 12 13 1
Moskitos Essen
ESC Moskitos Essen
1 DEL DEL DEL1 10 14 8 6 2
Eisbären Regensburg
EV Regensburg
12 10 7 3 4 7 10 2
EV Landsberg 10 14
1. EV Weiden 13 14
Rote Teufel Bad Nauheim 2 5 11 11 2 2 2
EC Wilhelmshaven 10 7 2
Erding Jets
TSV 1862 Erding
11 12
Hamburg Crocodiles
FTV Hamburg
14 7 3
EHC Harz-Braunlage 7 13
Grefrather EV 16 14
EHC Neuwied 12 157
GEC Nordhorn 4 167
Colour Result
Gold Champion
Silver Finalist
Green Semi finalist
Blue Quarter finalist
Purple Preliminary round
White not qualified for play-offs
DEL denotes club played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (I)
  • 1 The team finished the regular season but due to having to declare insolvency they were relegated to the last place in the standings.
  • 2 Team withdrew from the league because of financial reasons.
  • 3 The Hamburg Crocodiles withdrew to the Oberliga after the 1999–2000 season.
  • 4 The team was outclosed from the league.
  • 5 The team leaves the league, when the licence was sold by the owner.
  • 6 The team declared insolvency but finished the insolvency before the next season.
  • 7 The club, which organized the team, collapsed for financial reasons.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nach Regensburg muss auch Essen Insolvenz anmelden (in German)". ESBG. 2008-04-15. Archived from the original on 15 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  2. ^ "DEL: Neuer Modus mit Auf- und Abstieg (in German)". Hockeyweb.de. 21 November 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  3. ^ "DEL: Kein Auf- und Abstieg (in German)". kicker.de. 14 March 2008. Archived from the original on 19 March 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  4. ^ "DURCHFÜHRUNGSBESTIMMUNGEN SENIOREN (in German)" (PDF). ESBG. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-04-10. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
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