German Football League 2

The German Football League 2 (GFL) is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2. Bundesliga.[1]

German Football League 2
SportAmerican football
Founded1982
No. of teams16 (15 in 2019 season)
Country Germany
Most recent
champion(s)		North: Düsseldorf Panther
South: Ravensburg Razorbacks
Official websitegfl.info

League structure

The GFL 2, formerly the 2. Bundesliga, which was formed in 1982,[2] is divided into a northern and southern division, which eight teams in each division. Unlike the GFL, there are no inter conference games and no GFL 2 champion is determined.

For the 2011 season, both the northern and the southern champions were promoted, while the runners-up of the two divisions played the last placed team in the GFL division above for another spot in the league in 2012.[3] Since then the two division champions play a home-and-away series for a place each in the northern and southern division of the GFL.

Below the GFL 2, six Regionalligas, Regional Leagues, are set, North, South, West, Central and East. Four teams each are promoted each season from the Regionalliga to the GFL 2. However, additional spots may become available if teams resign from either the GFL or the GFL 2.[2]

Promotion to the GFL 2 is achieved through a promotion round at the end of the Regionalliga season which includes the best Regionalliga teams. For the southern division of the GFL 2 the champions of the southern and central division of the Regionalliga play the runners-up from the other division with the winners of each contest being promoted. For the northern GFL 2 division the champions of the Regionalliga divisions north, west and east play each other once to determine the two promoted teams.

League history

The league was formed as the 2nd American Football Bundesliga in 1982, consisting of 16 clubs in three regional divisions. League strength varied from season to season after this, but the three division format was retained until 1986, when a fourth regional group was added.[2]

In 1995, the league was reduced to two divisions with seven clubs each. The strength was increased to eight teams per division in 1998 but continued to fluctuate because of teams withdrawing.[2]

Promotion to the GFL 2 is achieved through the promotion round of the best Regionalliga clubs whereby the champions from the south plays the runners-up from central division and the champions from central the runners-up from the south. The winners of these two contests earn a place in the southern division of the GFL 2 for the following season. In the north the champions Of the Regionalliga divisions North,

GFL 2 Teams in 2019
Spartans
Longhorns
Paladins
Griffins
Jets
Beavers
Golden Dragons
Spiders
Location of teams in the German Football League 2 in 2019

GFL 2 North
Team City State
Elmshorn Fighting PiratesElmshornSchleswig-Holstein
Hamburg HuskiesHamburgHamburg
Hannover SpartansHannoverLower Saxony
Langenfeld LonghornsLangenfeldNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Lübeck CougarsLübeckSchleswig-Holstein
Rostock GriffinsRostockMecklenburg-Vorpommern
Solingen PaladinsSolingenNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Troisdorf JetsTroisdorfNorth Rhine-Westphalia

GFL 2 South
Team City State
Biberach BeaversBiberachBaden-Württemberg
Darmstadt DiamondsDarmstadtHesse
Gießen Golden DragonsGießenHesse
Ravensburg RazorbacksRavensburgBaden-Württemberg
Saarland HurricanesSaarbrückenSaarland
Straubing SpidersStraubingBavaria
Wiesbaden PhantomsWiesbadenHesse

GFL 2 season placings

The placings in the league since 2000:[2][4][5][6]

North
GFL 2 North 0001020304 0506070809 1011121314 1516171819
New Yorker Lions GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL
Dresden Monarchs 421 GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes GFLGFL GFL2 11 GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Berlin Rebels 25561 GFL2GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Hildesheim Invaders 7 8 75 1GFL GFLGFL GFL
Cologne Crocodiles GFLGFL GFLGFL 3 41 GFLGFL GFL
Potsdam Royals 531 GFLGFL
Düsseldorf Panther GFL GFL GFL 1 GFL GFL GFL 4 4 5 2 GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL 2 1 GFL
Elmshorn Fighting Pirates 8 831
Lübeck Cougars 433 66353 53GFL52 24662
Rostock Griffins 8 343
Langenfeld Longhorns 5356 34234 3 454
Solingen Paladins 25
Hamburg Huskies 1 24645 42127 431 GFLGFL GFLGFL6
Hannover Spartans 7
Troisdorf Jets 7 368 4327 8
Paderborn Dolphins 3257
Berlin Adler 31 GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL8
Bonn Gamecocks 76 7646 657
Assindia Cardinals 1GFL GFLGFL7 7 1GFL GFLGFL 8 68
Bielefeld Bulldogs 8 14 77
Ritterhude Badgers 8
Cologne Falcons 1 GFLGFL GFLGFL 2 661 GFLGFL
Hamburg Blue Devils GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL 1 GFL GFL
Osnabrück Tigers 56
Cottbus Crayfish 2 7
Mönchengladbach Mavericks 1GFL
Magdeburg Virgin Guards 6 5 4 5
Recklinghausen Chargers 8
Frankfurt Red Cocks 7
Weyhe Vikings 4 78
Hannover Musketeers 22GFL 5
Bochum Cadets 6 8
Dortmund Giants 53
  • In the 2000, 2001 and 2006 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2002 and 2011 seasons, only six clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2003 season, only five clubs played in the league.
  • 1 Played as the Hamburg Wild Huskies until 2003, then as the Hamburg Eagles from 2004 to 2009 before becoming the Hamburg Huskies from 2010.

South
GFL 2 South 00010203040506070809 10111213141516171819
Stuttgart Scorpions GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 2GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Marburg Mercenaries 311 GFLGFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Munich Cowboys GFL GFL GFL 1 GFL GFL 1 GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Allgäu Comets 3 3 3 6 11 GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL
Frankfurt Universe 2 2 3 1GFL GFLGFL GFL
Ingolstadt Dukes 21GFL GFLGFL
Kirchdorf Wildcats 1 12 5566 5651 321GFL GFL
Ravensburg Razorbacks 46 5211
Saarland Hurricanes 1GFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFL54 1GFL GFLGFL GFL GFLGFL GFL22
Straubing Spiders 668 33
Biberach Beavers 4
Wiesbaden Phantoms 4 22432 2GFLGFL GFL2 53555
Darmstadt Diamonds 42623 1GFL GFLGFL3 5487 76
Gießen Golden Dragons 6467
Nürnberg Rams 434 4434
Albershausen Crusaders 67
Montabaur Fighting Farmers 47 8
Fursty Razorbacks 27 7
Rhein Neckar Bandits 5 42GFL GFLGFL GFLGFL
Franken Knights GFLGFL GFLGFL GFL 4 4 2 2 1 31GFL GFLGFL GFL7
München Rangers 88
Holzgerlingen Twister 6 3 7 5 6
Frankfurt Pirates 6 5 6 8
Starnberg Argonauts 7
Kaiserslautern Pikes 6 8 3 8
Plattling Black Hawks 3 3 1 GFL GFLGFL
Badener Greifs 7 7
Weinheim Longhorns 3 1 GFL GFL GFL GFL 8
Hanau Hornets 855 6 6 8 7
Stuttgart Silver Arrows 7 7 8
Königsbrunn Ants 8 7 5 8
Aschaffenburg Stallions GFL 7
Jena Hanfrieds 8
Franken Timberwolves 5 5 4 6 7
Rhein Main Razorbacks GFLGFL GFLGFL
Mainz Golden Eagles 5 4
Rottenburg Red Knights 4 7
Landsberg Express GFL
GFL = Team played in GFL Divisional champion
  • In the 2003 and 2004 seasons, only seven clubs played in the league.
  • In the 2001 season, only six clubs played in the league.
  • 1 Played as the Simbach Wildcats until 2003.

Divisional champions

The winners of the regional divisions of the GFL:[2]

Year North Central South
1982 Hamburg Dolphins Red Barons Cologne Noris Rams
1983 Bonn Jets Mannheim Redskins Kempten Comets
1984 Dortmund Giants Mainz Golden Eagles Kempten Comets
1985 Cologne Crocodiles II Stuttgart Scorpions Rothenburg Knights
Year North West Central South
1986 Hildesheim Invaders Recklinghausen Chargers Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns München Rangers
1987 Bremerhaven Seahawks Ratingen Raiders Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Würzburg Pumas
1988 Bremen Buccaneers Recklinghausen Chargers Rüsselsheim Crusaders Königsbrunn Ants
1989 Hildesheim Invaders Recklinghausen Chargers Darmstadt Diamonds Fürth Buffalos
1990 Hamburg Silver Eagles Cologne Bears Stuttgart Scorpions Regensburg Royals
1991 Berlin Rebels Cologne Bears Stuttgart Scorpions Regensburg Royals
1992 Hamburg Silver Eagles Solingen Hurricanes Hanau Hawks Rothenburg Knights
1993 Braunschweig Lions Cologne Bears Frankfurt Gamblers Erding Bulls
1994 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Tecklenburg Silverbacks Stuttgart Scorpions Simbach Wildcats
Year North South
1995 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Rüsselsheim Razorbacks
1996 Berlin Rebels Landsberg Express
1997 Paderborn Dolphins Saarland Hurricanes
1998 Berlin Rebels Aschaffenburg Stallions
1999 Bremen Bravehearts Franken Knights
2000 Assindia Cardinals Saarland Hurricanes
2001 Berlin Adler Marburg Mercenaries
2002 Dresden Monarchs Marburg Mercenaries
2003 Düsseldorf Panther Simbach Wildcats
2004 Cologne Falcons Munich Cowboys
2005 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Darmstadt Diamonds
2006 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Weinheim Longhorns
2007 Hamburg Eagles Munich Cowboys
2008 Assindia Cardinals Plattling Black Hawks
2009 Berlin Rebels Franken Knights
2010 Mönchengladbach Mavericks Saarland Hurricanes
2011 Hamburg Blue Devils Franken Knights
2012 Cologne Falcons Allgäu Comets
2013 Bielefeld Bulldogs Allgäu Comets
2014 Hamburg Huskies Kirchdorf Wildcats
2015 Hildesheim Invaders Frankfurt Universe
2016Cologne CrocodilesIngolstadt Dukes
2017Potsdam RoyalsKirchdorf Wildcats
2018Düsseldorf PantherRavensburg Razorbacks
2019Elmshorn Fighting PiratesRavensburg Razorbacks

References
  1. German Football League 2 Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine (in German) AFVD website, accessed: 20 January 2011
  2. Football History(in German) Historic American football tables from Germany, accessed: 2 January 2010
  3. Spielplan der GFL für 2011 steht (in German) GFL website, published: 8 December 2010, accessed: 29 December 2010
  4. GFL 2008 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
  5. GFL 2009 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
  6. GFL 2010 www.football-aktuell.de, accessed: 2 January 2011
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