Marburg Mercenaries
Encyclopedia
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. Domestically, the teams greatest achievement was to reach the 2006 German Bowl
, where the team lost to the Braunschweig Lions
.
The club entered competitive league football in the following year, playing in the tier-five Verbandsliga Hessen, a regional league in its home state of Hesse
. The Mercenaries gradually worked their way up through the local league system, culminating in a title in the tier-three Regionalliga Mitte in 1997, which allowed the club to take up promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga.
For the next five years, the team played in the southern division of this league, once more gradually improving its performances, to a point where they won their division in 2001 and 2002. In its first attempt at promotion to the German Football League
, the team failed however, losing to the Franken Knights in both promotion games. It performed much better the following year, defeating the Munich Cowboys
in both promotion games and moving up into the GFL.
The Mercenaries first season at this level became a struggle, winning only one out of twelve league games, and having to defend their league place against the Simbach Wildcats in the relegation round. With this successfully achieved, the team moved on to much better performances from now on.
The club became a constant contender for the division title from now on, winning it in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010 and reaching, as a minimum, the play-off semi finals on each occasion. The teams best season domestically however was 2006, when it reached the German Bowl, where it lost 13-31 to the Braunschweig Lions. Apart from the significances of this achievement to the club, it also broke a thirteen year draught for the clubs from the southern division, as no southern club had reached the German Bowl since the Munich Cowboys won it in 1993.
Internationally, the Mercenaries won their first title in 2005, when they won the second-tier EFAF Cup
. In 2007, the team also participated in the European Football League
, where it reached the final, the Eurobowl, but lost quite clearly to the Dodge Vikings Vienna.
Marburg has since failed to reach another final, but remains a strong team in the southern division of the GFL. The team came second in its division in 2011, qualifying for the play-offs where they were knocked out by the Düsseldorf Panther
in the quarter finals.
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...
team from Marburg
Marburg
Marburg is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany, on the River Lahn. It is the main town of the Marburg-Biedenkopf district and its population, as of March 2010, was 79,911.- Founding and early history :...
, 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...
.
Internationally, the clubs greatest success came in 2005, when it 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 :...
, followed by a losing appearance in 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 2007. Domestically, the teams greatest achievement was to reach the 2006 German Bowl
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....
, where the team lost to the Braunschweig Lions
Braunschweig Lions
The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions....
.
History
The Marburg Mercenaries were formed in 1991 under the official name of AFV Marburg Mercenaries e.V..The club entered competitive league football in the following year, playing in the tier-five Verbandsliga Hessen, a regional league in its home state of Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
. The Mercenaries gradually worked their way up through the local league system, culminating in a title in the tier-three Regionalliga Mitte in 1997, which allowed the club to take up promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga.
For the next five years, the team played in the southern division of this league, once more gradually improving its performances, to a point where they won their division in 2001 and 2002. In its first attempt at promotion to 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....
, the team failed however, losing to the Franken Knights in both promotion games. It performed much better the following year, defeating 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....
in both promotion games and moving up into the GFL.
The Mercenaries first season at this level became a struggle, winning only one out of twelve league games, and having to defend their league place against the Simbach Wildcats in the relegation round. With this successfully achieved, the team moved on to much better performances from now on.
The club became a constant contender for the division title from now on, winning it in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010 and reaching, as a minimum, the play-off semi finals on each occasion. The teams best season domestically however was 2006, when it reached the German Bowl, where it lost 13-31 to the Braunschweig Lions. Apart from the significances of this achievement to the club, it also broke a thirteen year draught for the clubs from the southern division, as no southern club had reached the German Bowl since the Munich Cowboys won it in 1993.
Internationally, the Mercenaries won their first title in 2005, when they won the second-tier 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 :...
. In 2007, the team also 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...
, where it reached the final, the Eurobowl, but lost quite clearly to the Dodge Vikings Vienna.
Marburg has since failed to reach another final, but remains a strong team in the southern division of the GFL. The team came second in its division in 2011, qualifying for the play-offs where they were knocked out by the 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....
in the quarter finals.
Honours
- EurobowlEurobowlThe Eurobowl is both the final game and the trophy of the European Football League , a European American football contest.-Eurobowls:-Champions:...
- Runners-up: 2007
- 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: 2005
- 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....
- Runners-up: 2006
- EFLEuropean Football LeagueThe European Football League is a European Cup style tournament for European American Football teams affiliated to EFAF...
- Participations: 2007
- 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....
- Southern Division champions: (5) 2004–2006, 2008, 2010
- Play-off qualification : (8) 2004–2011
- League membership : (9) 2003–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:...
- Southern Division champions: 2001, 2002
German Bowl appearances
The club has only appeared once in the German Bowl:| Bowl | Date | Champions | Runners-Up | Score | Location | Attendance |
| XXVIII | October 7, 2006 | Braunschweig Lions | Marburg Mercenaries | 31-13 | 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.... |
15,897 |
- Champions in bold.
Recent seasons
Recent seasons of the club:| 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.... (South) |
1st | 17–3 | 0.850 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 350 | 174 | Won QF: Berlin Adler Berlin Adler 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.... (40–21) Lost SF: Hamburg Blue Devils Hamburg Blue Devils The Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls... (41–42 aet Overtime (sports) Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination... ) |
| 2006 | 1st | 20–4 | 0.833 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 471 | 214 | Won QF: Cologne Falcons (62–0) Won SF: Hamburg Blue Devils Hamburg Blue Devils The Hamburg Blue Devils are an American football team in Hamburg, Germany. The Blue Devils are one of the most successful American football clubs in Germany, having won four German Bowls as well as three Eurobowls... (33–20) Lost GB: Braunschweig Lions Braunschweig Lions The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions.... (13–31) |
|
| 2007 | 2nd | 19–5 | 0.792 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 363 | 191 | Won QF: 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... (21–16) Lost SF: Braunschweig Lions Braunschweig Lions The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions.... (21–26) |
|
| 2008 | 1st | 18–6 | 0.750 | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 356 | 206 | Won QF: Dresden Monarchs Dresden Monarchs The Dresden Monarchs are an American football team from Dresden, Germany.As its greatest success, the club has finished in third place in the northern division of the German Football League on five occasions, and reached the semi finals of the national championship in 2004 and 2010.-History:The... (33–21) Lost SF: Braunschweig Lions Braunschweig Lions The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions.... (21–49) |
|
| 2009 | 2nd | 14–10 | 0.583 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 422 | 328 | Won QF: Dresden Monarchs Dresden Monarchs The Dresden Monarchs are an American football team from Dresden, Germany.As its greatest success, the club has finished in third place in the northern division of the German Football League on five occasions, and reached the semi finals of the national championship in 2004 and 2010.-History:The... (64–63) Lost SF: Berlin Adler Berlin Adler 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.... (21–36) |
|
| 2010 | 1st | 20–4 | 0.833 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 437 | 216 | Won QF: Braunschweig Lions Braunschweig Lions The New Yorker Lions are an American Football team from Braunschweig, Germany. Until late 2010, the team was known as the Braunschweig Lions.... (31–21) Lost SF: Berlin Adler Berlin Adler 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.... (6–17) |
|
| 2011 | 2nd | 22–4 | 0.846 | 13 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 392 | 240 | Lost QF: 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.... (10–14) |
- RR = Relegation round.
- QF = Quarter finals.
- SF = Semi finals.
- GB = German Bowl
- The final game of the 2011 season against the Schwäbisch Hall UnicornsSchwäbisch Hall UnicornsThe 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....
was not played because of heavy rain on game day.