 | |
| Formation | 16 October 1982 |
|---|---|
| Type | American football |
| Headquarters | Frankfurt, Germany |
Membership | 63,060 (2018) |
Official language | German |
| Website | AFVD.de |
The American Football Association of Germany (German : American Football Verband Deutschland; AFVD) is the governing body of the sport of American football in Germany and the German Football League.
Formed in 1982, [1] the association oversees the German league system, the various German Bowls and the national selections. [2]
The history of American football in Germany, outside the US Army bases in the country, began in 1977, when the Frankfurter Löwen were formed as the first club to play the game in Germany. [3]
In March 1979, the AFBD, the American Football Federation of Germany (German : American Football Bund Deutschland), was formed, the first of its kind in Europe. This organisation, in 1982, was replaced by the AFVD, the American Football Association of Germany. [4]
A national league, originally the American Football Bundesliga , later to be renamed the German Football League, [5] was formed in 1979, consisting of six clubs, the Frankfurter Löwen, Ansbach Grizzlies, Düsseldorf Panther, Munich Cowboys, Berlin Bears and Bremerhaven Seahawks. [3] The first-ever league game was held on 4 August 1979, played between the Frankfurter Löwen and the Düsseldorf Panther, and ended in a victory for Frankfurt. [4] The first ever German Bowl was held on 10 November 1979 and also ended in a victory for the Frankfurter Löwen. [6]
In 1980 and 1981, the league and American football in Germany saw a split with Düsseldorf and Bremerhaven leaving the competition to take part in a separate, short-lived competition, the Nordwestdeutsche Football-Liga - NFL, but, by 1982, union was restored and the renegade teams returned. [7]
In 1981, the German national team was formed, winning its first-ever international, a game against Italy, 12–6. [3]
On 16 October 1982, the AFVD was officially formed and, in the following year, it was decided to form regional associations as well. The German national team, also from 1983 onwards, started to participate in the European Championships. In 1986, women's American football began to develop, with the first official game held in 1987. [1]
American football started to boom in Germany from the early 1990s onwards, initiated through the Frankfurt Galaxy, which attracted many younger fans to the sport and also provided some media attention. [8]
As of 1 January 2010, the AFVD announced a new record membership of 40,051, and increase of 7.31 percent in comparison to the previous year. The associations growth since the year 2000, when it had 18,875 members, is mainly due to the improved youth programs of its clubs. While, in the early years, very few clubs had a youth team, it is now commonplace to have a number of junior teams in every club. [9]
In 2018, the AFVD reached a new peak by counting 63,060 members. [10]
With triumphs in the European Championships of American Football 2001, 2010 and again 2014 as well as dominant performances of German club teams in the BIG6 European Football League since its inception in 2014, the AFVD has established itself as one of the premier American Football associations in Europe, if not the world.
The league system in American football in Germany operates as a pyramid, with clubs in every league being able to achieve promotion and relegation, subject to their final standings and the promotion and relegation games.
In 2010, the pyramid consisted of six levels, however, tier six leagues did only exist in some regions.
The top level of the league system, the GFL, is a national league with inter conference games between the two regional divisions. The second level, the GFL2, is divided into two regional divisions without inter conference games. The third level is the Regionalliga (English: Regional League), divided into five separate leagues. Below this, the seven Oberligas (English: Premier League) are set, followed by the Verbandsligas (English: Association League), Landesligas (English: State League) and Aufbauligas (English: Development League):
Level | League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
I | German Football League | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
II | German Football League 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
III | Regionalliga North | Regionalliga West | Regionalliga East | Regionalliga Central | Regionalliga Southern West | Regionalliga South | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
IV | Oberliga North-HH/SH | Oberliga North-LS/B | Oberliga NRW | Oberliga East | Oberliga HE/RP/SA | Oberliga Baden-Württemberg | Bayernliga | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
V | Verbandsliga North-HH/SH | Verbandsliga North-LS/B | Verbandsliga NRW | Oberliga East | Landesliga Central | Landesliga Baden-Württemberg | Verbandsliga Bavaria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
VI | Landesliga NRW | Bezirksliga Baden-Württemberg | Aufbauliga Bavaria | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The German Football League (GFL) is an American football league in Germany and was formed in 1979. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA. In 1999, the league switched its name from American-Football-Bundesliga to German Football League. In terms of attendance figures, cumulative salaries paid by teams, performance in international exhibition games and competitions and ability to draw foreign talent, the GFL is arguably the strongest national league in Europe.
The German Bowl is the annual national championship game in the sport of American football in Germany. It is contested by the two best teams of the German Football League.
The Düsseldorf Panther are an American football team from Düsseldorf, Germany. The club is the oldest extant American football club in Europe, having been formed on 1 May 1978.
The Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. It was founded in 1992. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the clubs rivalry with the Braunschweig Lions dominated the game in the German Football League, with the two sides meeting in six German Bowls between 1998 and 2005 as well as the 1999 Eurobowl.
The Berlin Adler is an American football club based in Berlin, Germany. The club is one of the most successful clubs in the sport in Germany, having won six German Bowls as well as ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls.
The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.
The Ansbach Grizzlies are an American football team based in Ansbach, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Munich Cowboys, is one of the oldest in Germany. The Grizzlies were a dominating force in the game during the first decade of American football in Germany, reaching all of the first eight German Bowls.
The Munich Cowboys are an American football team based in Munich, Germany. The club, together with the Düsseldorf Panther and the Ansbach Grizzlies, is one of the oldest in Germany. The team refers to itself as The Grand Old Team of the South.
The German Football League 2 (GFL2) is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2. Bundesliga.
The Frankfurter Löwen were an American football team from Frankfurt, Germany.
The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.
The Assindia Cardinals are an American football team from Essen, Germany. Assindia is the Latin name for Essen.
The Cologne Crocodiles are an American football team from Cologne, Germany.
The Bremerhaven Seahawks are an American football club from Bremerhaven, Germany.
The German Junior Bowl, usually only referred to as Junior Bowl, is the annual national championship game for junior teams in the sport of American football in Germany. It is contested by the two best teams of the GFL Juniors.
The Frankfurt Universe are a German American football team from Frankfurt, Hesse.
The American football Regionalliga is the third tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League and the German Football League 2.
The 2013 German Football League season was the thirty fifth edition of the top-level American football competition in Germany and fourteenth since the renaming of the American football Bundesliga to German Football league.
The 1979 American football Bundesliga season was the first edition of the top-level American football competition in West Germany.
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