Graz Giants

The Graz Giants are an American football team in Graz, Austria. The team plays at ASKÖ Stadium in the Eggenberg district of Graz.[1]

Graz Giants
Founded1981
Based inGraz, Austria
StadiumASKÖ Stadium (8,500)
ColorsBlue and Gold    
Championships1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008
Websitehttps://www.grazgiants.at/

History

Inspired by a March 1981 broadcast of the first Austrian football team, the Vienna Ramblocks, Stefan Herdey decided to found an American football team.[2] After an advertisement was placed in a local newspaper, a dozen potential players attended the first meeting and founded the Graz Football Team.[2][3] That team would be renamed the Graz Giants.[2][3] The Giants took part in the first game between two Austrian teams, in which they lost 44–12 to the Ramblocks. With the dissolution of the Ramblocks, the Graz Giants are the oldest existing American football team in Austria.[2][4]

Championships

Austrian Bowl

The Giants are ten-time Austrian Bowl Champions having won the championship in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2008.[2]

EFAF Cup

The Giants are three-time winners of the EFAF Cup.[2] In the 2002 season, the Giants won the EFAF Cup with a 37–20 victory over the Badalona Dracs, which made the club the first European Cup winner in Austrian football history. This was repeated in 2006 with a 37–20 victory against the Eidsvoll 1814s from Norway.[5] In 2007, the Giants won the EFAF Cup for the third time with a 28–26 victory over the Cineplexx Blue Devils from Hohenems.

References
  1. "Actionberg: Home of the Giants". grazgiants.at. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  2. "JCL Graz Giants". eurobowl.info. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  3. "Giants History". grazgiants.at. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  4. "American Football Kicks Off in Austria". austrianinformation.org. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  5. "Giants of Europe". July 11, 2006. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
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