Berlin Adler
Encyclopedia
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 a ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls.
Internationally, the club has participated in the European Football League
(EFL) on a number of occasions and has won the Eurobowl
in 2010.
As of 2010, the club is second only to the Munich Cowboys
(335) in German Football League
(GFL) games played, with 312, the only two teams with more than 300 league games. The Cowboys have played 29 out of a possible 32 seasons at the highest level of the game in Germany, the Adler one less, 28.
In 1979, the Bears became a founding member of the American Football Bundesliga, renamed the German Football League
in 1999, together with the Frankfurter Löwen
, Düsseldorf Panther
, Ansbach Grizzlies
, Munich Cowboys
und Bremerhaven Seahawks
.
The Bears came third in their first season in competitive football, but was unable to make the play-off in its first four seasons. To improve on-the-field performance, the team decided to join established club BSC Wilmersdorf in 1981, changing its club colors and name, becoming the Berlin Adler.
in the German Bowl, held in front of a sell-out crowd of 14,800 at Mommsenstadion
in Berlin.
The teams first entry in the EFL in 1988 ended in the semi finals, losing narrowly to the Amsterdam Crusaders
but, in 1989, the club returned to success, winning its second German Bowl, again undefeated all season, against the Red Barons Cologne
.
in 1991. Before and after, the Adler defeated the Crocodiles in the German Bowl in 1990 and 1991. In European competition, the club reached the semi finals in 1990 and the final in 1991, once more losing to the Amsterdam Crusaders.
After three titles in series from 1989 to 1991, the Adler declined somewhat but remained a strong side, still reaching the semi finals in each of the following four seasons. In 1994, the club made its fifth German Bowl appearance, but lost for the first time, against the Düsseldorf Panther. In 1995, the club still had a strong season, but declined markedly after that.
, promotion was seemingly missed, but the withdrawal of the Düsseldorf Panther from the GFL opened up a spot in the league for the Adler and the team was back at the highest level for 2002.
Berlin, in the mean time, had acquired an NFL Europe
team in 1999, the Berlin Thunder
, a club that lasted until 2007, when the league folded.
in a low-scoring German Bowl.
After this, the club experienced two lean seasons, being knocked-out in the quarter finals in 2005 and having to play against relegation in 2006 but successfully avoiding the relegation round in the end.
The team did not decline further, as it had done in the 1990s, but instead reached the semi finals in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, the side lost narrowly to the Stuttgart Scorpions
, in 2008 they lost to the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
, a team it was to meet in the following two German Bowls. In Europe, the Berlin Adler won the EFAF Cup
, a second tier competition, against the Parma Panthers
of Italy
, the clubs first international title.
In 2009, the Adler had another successful season, losing only one league game and advancing to their seventh German Bowl, earning their sixth national title by defeating the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 28-21. The 2010 season saw a repeat of this final, but this time Kiel was the stronger side and won their first national title. The Adler however achieved their second European success, finally winning the Eurobowl
for the first time.
The 2011 season was not as successful for the club, making a losing appearance in the Eurobowl, finishing only fourth in the league and going out in the quarter finals of the play-offs to the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
club based in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. The club is one of the most successful clubs in the sport in Germany, having won six German Bowls
German Bowl
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....
as well as a ten Ladies Bowls and five Junior Bowls.
Internationally, the club has participated in the European Football League
European Football League
The European Football League is a European Cup style tournament for European American Football teams affiliated to EFAF...
(EFL) on a number of occasions and has won the Eurobowl
Eurobowl
The Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
in 2010.
As of 2010, the club is second only to the Munich Cowboys
Munich Cowboys
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....
(335) in German Football League
German Football League
The German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA....
(GFL) games played, with 312, the only two teams with more than 300 league games. The Cowboys have played 29 out of a possible 32 seasons at the highest level of the game in Germany, the Adler one less, 28.
Foundation years
The club was formed as the second American football club in Berlin on 12 February 1979, then under the name of Berliner Bären (Berlin Bears). Shortly after its formation, the club was joined by the Berlin Bats, increasing the number of club members substantially. In the early days, all training was carried out on the facilities of the US Army and supervised by US soldiers stationed in Berlin.In 1979, the Bears became a founding member of the American Football Bundesliga, renamed the German Football League
German Football League
The German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA....
in 1999, together with the Frankfurter Löwen
Frankfurter Löwen
The Frankfurter Löwen were an American football team from Frankfurt, Germany.The Löwen were the first American football club to be formed in Germany. The club, a founding member of the American Football Bundesliga, was also the winner of the first two editions of the German Bowl...
, Düsseldorf Panther
Düsseldorf Panther
The Düsseldorf Panther are an American football team from Düsseldorf, Germany. The club is the oldest still existing American football club in Europe, having been formed on 1 May 1978....
, Ansbach Grizzlies
Ansbach Grizzlies
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...
, Munich Cowboys
Munich Cowboys
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....
und Bremerhaven Seahawks
Bremerhaven Seahawks
The Bremerhaven Seahawks are an American football club from Bremerhaven, Germany.The club is one of the six founding members of the American Football Bundesliga, alongside the Düsseldorf Panther, Frankfurter Löwen, Ansbach Grizzlies, Munich Cowboys and Berlin Bears, but has not played at this level...
.
The Bears came third in their first season in competitive football, but was unable to make the play-off in its first four seasons. To improve on-the-field performance, the team decided to join established club BSC Wilmersdorf in 1981, changing its club colors and name, becoming the Berlin Adler.
First success
The Adler began to improve in 1983, qualifying for the play-offs for the first time. A youth department was formed and the team changed mother-clubs, now joining BSC Rehberge, to gain a permanent home ground. The Adler moved into the Radrennstadion Schöneberg in 1986 as their home ground and earned their first German title the following year. After remaining unbeaten all season in 1987, the team defeated the Badener GreifsBadener Greifs
The Badener Greifs are an American football club from Karlsruhe, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 1987, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Berlin Adler.-History:The club was formed in 1982 by a group of motor cycle enthusiasts....
in the German Bowl, held in front of a sell-out crowd of 14,800 at Mommsenstadion
Mommsenstadion
The Mommsenstadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Berlin, Germany, named after the historian Theodor Mommsen. It is currently used mostly for football and hosts the home matches of Tennis Borussia Berlin and SCC Berlin...
in Berlin.
The teams first entry in the EFL in 1988 ended in the semi finals, losing narrowly to the Amsterdam Crusaders
Amsterdam Crusaders
The Amsterdam Crusaders are an American Football club from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together with the Rotterdam Trojans and Alphen Eagles, Amsterdam Crusaders are the oldest surviving Dutch American Football club.-Beginnings:...
but, in 1989, the club returned to success, winning its second German Bowl, again undefeated all season, against the Red Barons Cologne
Red Barons Cologne
The Red Barons Cologne were an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 1988, when it won its sole German Bowl, followed by a losing appearance in the game in1989...
.
Dominance
The Adler became a dominating team in Germany, achieving a 966-day unbeaten run, which only came to a halt in a league game against the Cologne CrocodilesCologne Crocodiles
The Cologne Crocodiles are an American football team from Cologne, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2000, when it won the German Bowl for the first and, so far, only time...
in 1991. Before and after, the Adler defeated the Crocodiles in the German Bowl in 1990 and 1991. In European competition, the club reached the semi finals in 1990 and the final in 1991, once more losing to the Amsterdam Crusaders.
After three titles in series from 1989 to 1991, the Adler declined somewhat but remained a strong side, still reaching the semi finals in each of the following four seasons. In 1994, the club made its fifth German Bowl appearance, but lost for the first time, against the Düsseldorf Panther. In 1995, the club still had a strong season, but declined markedly after that.
Decline
The 1996 season saw the Adler in the unfamiliar position of having to combat relegation and being troubled by financial problems. It came sixth and last in its division and had to take part in the relegation round. The team assured survival there in two games against local rival Berlin Rebels. The following season proved worse however, the Adler could not win a league game all season, had to play in the relegation round once more and, after winning the first game against the Paderborn Dolphins, lost the second and were relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga.Recovery
The club spend the next four seasons at the second level of German football, slowly rebuilding. It moved from its old ground to the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark and, in 2001, managed to win its division, entitling the team to take part in the promotion round. After playing and losing to the Kiel Baltic HurricanesKiel Baltic Hurricanes
The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the...
, promotion was seemingly missed, but the withdrawal of the Düsseldorf Panther from the GFL opened up a spot in the league for the Adler and the team was back at the highest level for 2002.
Berlin, in the mean time, had acquired an NFL Europe
NFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
team in 1999, the Berlin Thunder
Berlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
, a club that lasted until 2007, when the league folded.
Return to success
The Adler once more became a successful side in the German Football League, reaching the semi finals in their first two seasons there. In 2004, the team ended the clubs 13 year title draught, defeating the Braunschweig LionsBraunschweig Lions
The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions....
in a low-scoring German Bowl.
After this, the club experienced two lean seasons, being knocked-out in the quarter finals in 2005 and having to play against relegation in 2006 but successfully avoiding the relegation round in the end.
The team did not decline further, as it had done in the 1990s, but instead reached the semi finals in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, the side lost narrowly to the Stuttgart Scorpions
Stuttgart Scorpions
The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982...
, in 2008 they lost to the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
Kiel Baltic Hurricanes
The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the...
, a team it was to meet in the following two German Bowls. In Europe, the Berlin Adler won the EFAF Cup
EFAF Cup
The EFAF Cup is an international competition for European American Football clubs. The EFAF Cup is the second highest level of club competition in the European Federation of American Football , behind the European Football League ,.- EFAF Cup :...
, a second tier competition, against the Parma Panthers
Parma Panthers
The Parma Panthers are an American football team based in Parma, Italy. The team was founded in 1980 by Vic Dasaro, an American veterinary student attending university in Parma...
of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the clubs first international title.
In 2009, the Adler had another successful season, losing only one league game and advancing to their seventh German Bowl, earning their sixth national title by defeating the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 28-21. The 2010 season saw a repeat of this final, but this time Kiel was the stronger side and won their first national title. The Adler however achieved their second European success, finally winning the Eurobowl
Eurobowl
The Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
for the first time.
The 2011 season was not as successful for the club, making a losing appearance in the Eurobowl, finishing only fourth in the league and going out in the quarter finals of the play-offs to the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns
The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are an American football team from Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.The clubs greatest successes were winning the southern division title in the German Football League in 2009 and 2011, followed up by winning the German Bowl in 2011....
.
Men
- EurobowlEurobowlThe Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
- Champions: 2010
- Runners-up: 1991, 2011
- EFAF CupEFAF CupThe EFAF Cup is an international competition for European American Football clubs. The EFAF Cup is the second highest level of club competition in the European Federation of American Football , behind the European Football League ,.- EFAF Cup :...
:- Champions: 2008
- German BowlGerman BowlThe 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....
- Champions: 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 2004, 2009
- Runners-up: 1994, 2010
- EFLEuropean Football LeagueThe European Football League is a European Cup style tournament for European American Football teams affiliated to EFAF...
- Participations: (8) 1988, 1990–1992, 1996, 2009–2011
- GFLGerman Football LeagueThe German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA....
- Northern Division champions: (9) 1986–1992, 1994, 2009
- Play-off qualification : (22) 1983–1995, 2002–2005, 2007–2011
- League membership : (29) 1979–1997, 2002–present
- GFL 2German Football League 2The German Football League 2 is the second tier of American football in Germany, below the German Football League. Until 2007, the league was known as the 2nd Bundesliga.-League structure:...
- Northern Division champions: 2001
Women
- Ladies Bowl
- Champions: (10) 1993–1997, 2000–2004
- Runners-up: 1999
Juniors
- Junior BowlGerman Junior BowlThe 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....
- Champions: 1989, 1990, 1994, 1997, 2009
- Runners-up: 2006
- Junior Flag Bowl
- Champions: 2007
German Bowl appearances
The clubs appearances in the German Bowl:| Bowl | Date | Champions | Runners-Up | Score | Location | Attendance |
| IX | October 11, 1987 | Berlin Adler | Badener Greifs | 37-12 | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... |
14,000 |
| XI | October 21, 1989 | Berlin Adler | Red Barons Cologne | 30-23 | Nuremberg Nuremberg Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664... |
10,500 |
| XII | October 20, 1990 | Berlin Adler | Cologne Crocodiles | 50-38 | Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the... |
10,000 |
| XIII | October 5, 1991 | Berlin Adler | Cologne Crocodiles | 22-21 | Hamburg Hamburg -History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808... |
13,000 |
| XVI | September 17, 1994 | Düsseldorf Panther | Berlin Adler | 27-17 | Hanau Hanau Hanau is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main. Its station is a major railway junction.- Geography :... |
7,862 |
| XXVI | October 9, 2004 | Berlin Adler | Braunschweig Lions | 10-7 | Braunschweig Braunschweig Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser.... |
17,200 |
| XXXI | October 3, 2009 | Berlin Adler | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | 28-21 | Frankfurt Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010... |
14,234 |
| XXXII | October 9, 2010 | Kiel Baltic Hurricanes | Berlin Adler | 17-10 | Frankfurt | 11,121 |
Recent seasons
Recent seasons of the Berlin Adler:| Year | Division | Finish | Points | Pct. | Games | W | D | L | PF | PA | Postseason |
| 2005 | GFL German Football League The German Football League is the elite league for American football in Germany. Playing rules are based on those of the American NCAA.... (North) |
4th | 12–12 | 0.500 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 376 | 356 | Lost QF: Marburg Mercenaries Marburg Mercenaries The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007... (21–40) |
| 2006 | 5th | 8–16 | 0.333 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 196 | 234 | — | |
| 2007 | 2nd | 16–8 | 0.667 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 267 | 136 | Won QF: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are an American football team from Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.The clubs greatest successes were winning the southern division title in the German Football League in 2009 and 2011, followed up by winning the German Bowl in 2011.... (23–3) Lost SF: Stuttgart Scorpions Stuttgart Scorpions The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982... (14–19) |
|
| 2008 | 3rd | 16–8 | 0.667 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 141 | 108 | Won QF: Stuttgart Scorpions Stuttgart Scorpions The Stuttgart Scorpions are an American football team from Stuttgart, Germany.The clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the German Bowl but lost to the Braunschweig Lions.-History:The Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982... (9–6) Lost SF: Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Kiel Baltic Hurricanes The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the... (12–17) |
|
| 2009 | 1st | 18–2 | 0.900 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 252 | 91 | Won QF: Weinheim Longhorns (30–13) Won SF: Marburg Mercenaries Marburg Mercenaries The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007... (36–21) Won GB: Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Kiel Baltic Hurricanes The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the... (28–21) |
|
| 2010 | 2nd | 20–4 | 0.833 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 303 | 198 | Won QF: Plattling Black Hawks Plattling Black Hawks The Plattling Black Hawks are an American football team from Plattling, Germany. The club was, until 2004, known as the Deggendorf Black Hawks.... (17–3) Won SF: Marburg Mercenaries Marburg Mercenaries The Marburg Mercenaries are an American football team from Marburg, Germany.Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it won the EFAF Cup, followed by a losing appearance in the Eurobowl in 2007... (17–6) Lost GB: Kiel Baltic Hurricanes Kiel Baltic Hurricanes The Kiel Baltic Hurricanes are an American football team based in Kiel, Germany.The club has been, of recent, a strong force in the sport in Germany, playing in four consecutive German Bowls from 2008 to 2011, losing the first two, winning the third and losing the fourth.The club is part of the... (10–17) |
|
| 2011 | 4th | 14–14 | 0.500 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 368 | 296 | Lost QF: Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns The Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns are an American football team from Schwäbisch Hall, Germany.The clubs greatest successes were winning the southern division title in the German Football League in 2009 and 2011, followed up by winning the German Bowl in 2011.... (27–53) |
- RR = Relegation round.
- QF = Quarter finals.
- SF = Semi finals.
- GB = German Bowl.