98 Jahre Rosenheim ist Eishockey
Von der Spritzeisbahn an der Wittelsbacher Straße bis ins moderne Stadion. Vom ersten Bully 1928 über drei Deutsche Meistertitel bis in die DEL2 — Rosenheim und Eishockey, das ist eine Liebesgeschichte mit allen Höhen und Tiefen.
1928 – 1952
From the first puck drop on the artificial ice rink at Wittelsbacher Straße to the natural ice stadium on Jahnstraße — the pioneering years of Rosenheim ice hockey.
1. Friendly match against München II.
On January 1, 1928, Eissportverein Rosenheim played their first friendly match against München II on the artificial ice rink at the tennis courts on Wittelsbacher Straße. The match ended in a 12–0 defeat for Eishockeyverein Rosenheim, as a persistent thaw had left them with only a few days of practice. In the same year, Eishockeyverein Rosenheim played their second friendly match against Bad Tölz.
The first "real" games
From 1 January 1929, the first "proper" games took place in Bad Tölz, where the Eissportverein Rosenheim was also able to prove its ability.
Ice Hockey Club Joins Post Sports Club
In 1930, the Eissportverein Rosenheim becomes part of the Postsportverein, a status it holds through 1937.
Postsportverein becomes EV Rosenheim once again
Re-founding of the EVR after the war years
After the war years, the Rosenheim ice hockey club was re-founded, as no ice hockey had been played during that period.
Construction of a natural ice stadium
Not until 1949, and after countless away trips by Rosenheim's "Eishackler" to various venues and lakes, was a natural ice stadium built on Jahnstraße — the result of many hours of voluntary labor.
1952 – 1978
Three promotions to the top tier of German ice hockey, the construction of the artificial ice stadium, and the return to the Bundesliga in front of 10,000 fans — and ultimately, the fall into insolvency.
First Promotion
In 1952, EVR achieved their first promotion to the highest German league division. Back then, the top flight was known as the Oberliga. However, due to the lack of an artificial ice rink and insufficient youth development, ice hockey in Rosenheim began to decline once again.
Artificial Ice Rink Committee
In 1953, a committee was founded to oversee the construction of an artificial ice rink.
Construction Begins on the Ice Rink
In 1961, pioneers from Degerndorf broke ground on Jahnstraße — without a building permit. Since no one wanted to stop the biggest project in the city, the then-mayor Sepp Heindl sent the EVR chairmen home with the words: "You dirty rascals, now get a move on! Get things rolling!"
Completion of the Artificial Ice Rink
On January 13, 1962, the stadium was officially inaugurated. This created excellent training facilities that soon delivered the desired results.
Second promotion to the top tier of German ice hockey
From the Artificial Ice Stadium to the Ice Arena
In 1973, the artificial ice rink was taken over and renovated by the city of Rosenheim, including the addition of a roof. This allowed Rosenheim to develop into a stronghold of ice hockey. With an 8–1 victory over Duisburger SC, EVR celebrated the new ice arena, which was officially handed over by Mayor Dr. Steinbeißer. The roof cost 3.5 million Marks and took six months to construct. Since then, twelve massive glued laminated timber beams, each 58 metres long, have spanned the Stadion Rosenheim 19 metres above the ice surface.
Third promotion to the top tier of German ice hockey
With a 5:2 victory over their biggest rivals at the time, Augsburger EV, in front of an estimated 10,000 fans, they secured promotion back to the Bundesliga. The person leading the band at that time was Gerhard Kießling (see photo)
For the third time, a Rosenheim team is competing in the top league — and for the second time since it became known as the Bundesliga, following 1958. Unlike the first two stints at the highest level, this one proves to be of longer duration — lasting all the way until the voluntary withdrawal in the 1992/93 season. As EV Rosenheim, however, only through the 1977/78 season — thereafter under the name Sportbund DJK Rosenheim.
The EV Rosenheim on the brink of extinction
With nearly 1 million Marks in debt, even the interim chairman and television chef Max Inzinger — despite support from many sides — was unable to save EV Rosenheim from bankruptcy.
Insolvency
In the summer of 1978, the Rosenheim ice hockey club was forced to file for insolvency. And so the photo shows the last roster of the EVR.
1978 – 1994
After the insolvency, the sports association DJK takes over the ice hockey department — and leads it to three German Championship titles, European Cup appearances, and attendance records. The greatest era in club history.
Transfer to Sportbund DJK
After the ultimately inevitable bankruptcy, a loophole in the ice hockey federation's statutes allows Rosenheim ice hockey to remain in the Bundesliga. The ice hockey department transfers to the sports club DjK, while the other ice sports disciplines establish EVR 1978.
First Season as "Sportbund"
Eleven players remain from EV Rosenheim, while 13 leave the club — among them "Edu" Derkits, who retires, as well as Paul Sommer, Tommi Salmelainen, and Jaroslav Tuma. The format this year: One single round of 22 games, followed by a split into a Championship Round and a Relegation Round. The top six and bottom six teams then face each other six times within their respective groups. EVR narrowly misses out on the Championship Round after points are deducted from both them and Mannheim. Erich Weishaupt transferred from Berliner SC to Mannheim, and Peter Scharf to Rosenheim. Registration deadlines are said to have been missed in connection with these transfers — hence the points deduction. Both players hire star attorney Rolf Bossi, take the case to a civil court, and win. The points are reinstated to both clubs — yet SBR still fails to reach the Championship Round. Instead, they get to face opponents including Landshut eight times over the course of the season. Despite this "thrilling" format, it still draws an average of 2,450 fans to the Rosenheim stadium.
The fan-unfriendly format from the previous year is changed again. This time, following the American model, the Bundesliga is split into three groups of teams after 22 games of a single preliminary round — sensibly not by region (as in the original model), but by standings. 1st plays with 4th, 7th and 10th — 2nd with 5th, and so on. The opponents in these groups are, however, both far away and too strong for this Rosenheim squad. New signing Hans Zach also has anything but a good season. Only goalkeeper Makatsch grows stronger as the campaign progresses, after Karl Huber returns to the Landshut club mid-season. This leads to a sharp drop in attendance — just 1,050 against Düsseldorfer EG. Average attendance: 2,000
International Recognition of Rosenheim Ice Hockey
By participating in the European Cup finals, the name of the Sportbund ice hockey division became widely known on the international stage. Thanks to the support of sponsors Josef März and his company Marox, Rosenheim ice hockey proved itself to be world class. League titles followed in 1985 and 1989. This brought the prospect of hosting the World Championship in Rosenheim — and the expansion of the stadium — within tangible reach.
SBR finishes in 7th place. Their first playoff opponent is DEG. In Düsseldorf they lose narrowly, at home they win narrowly, and the third game goes to Düsseldorf 5:2 — so that's it, they're out. No — wait. Now 20 points are also deducted from Köln due to forged player registrations, Rosenheim moves up to sixth and faces their original opponent Mannheim instead. Although they are eliminated by MERC, it's still a successful season — and average attendance has doubled to 4,060 compared to the previous year.
1st German Championship Title
Starbulls Rosenheim's season is a mixed one, and heading into the playoffs — now featuring "sudden death" for the first time — the team is delivering poor performances and finishes the preliminary round in 5th place. Title contention is considered realistic only for the top four finishers. Up to that point, nobody in Rosenheim is counting on a first championship. In the semifinal, a 5–0 win in Landshut gets things started, yet the chances look slim after Landshut takes the second game in Rosenheim. In Landshut, however, Rosenheim is already up 2–0 after just 11 minutes. After Landshut pulls one back, Jamie Masters extends the lead to 3–1. Landshut levels things up through goals from Betz and Kühnhackl (52nd minute). In the 59th minute, Gerhard Baldauf — set up by Hans Zach — scores the decisive goal, with goalkeeper Englbrecht not entirely blameless. Mannheim has eliminated Köln and is the clear favorite heading into the final. But in the first game in Mannheim, Rosenheim leads 2–0 after just 6 minutes thanks to goals from Berwanger and Adlmaier. Mannheim fights back, however, and levels at 2–2 by the 21st minute through goals from Rainer Blum and Adams. Mannheim dominates from that point on, but repeatedly runs into Karl Friesen. Maidl and Berwanger then settle it for Sportbund with goals in the 35th and 36th minutes. The home game, played in front of an official crowd of 7,000, kicks off seven minutes late. Before the puck drops, Hans Zach has already had words with Wolf and Roedger. Scharf puts Sportbund ahead, Baldauf makes it 2–0 in the second period. Meister and Adlmaier complete the scoring. The "sensation" is complete. Average attendance: 3,950
The Sportbund opens the season with 0:6 points. After seven games, they sit second-to-last with 4:10 points, and due to injury-related absences of Adlmaier, Kokoschka, and Sommer, Miro Slezak is reactivated. A 12-game unbeaten run follows, and after further ups and downs, SBR finishes the preliminary round in 3rd place. The first opponents are Kaufbeuren. In the opening game, the line of Kretschmer-Masters-Bourbonnais-Höfner-Adlmaier scores all the goals in a 7:5 victory. The second game in Kaufbeuren is lost in sudden-death overtime. The third goes convincingly to the home side. In the semi-finals, Mannheim await — and they get their revenge for the defeats of the previous season. Record champions Füssen are forced to file for bankruptcy and are relegated to the second division. Average attendance: 4,650
1,000 season tickets sold. Fans are hoping for another championship title following the third-place finish in the previous season. Alongside Köln and Landshut, Rosenheim is considered one of the favorites. Leaving the team are Gerhard Baldauf, Paul Sommer, and "Charly" Meister. Joining in their place are young talents Rainer Blum, Axel Kammerer, and Georg Franz. Making his senior debut is one of Rosenheim's all-time greats: Mondi Hilger. The season unfolds differently than expected, due in large part to numerous injuries. A broken wrist even means the end of Rick Bourbonnais's career; Dennis Houle joins mid-season as his replacement. Gerhard Baldauf is forced to step in one more time, but subsequently brings his playing career to a definitive close — as does Hans Zach — without the additional championship title both had hoped for. The press mentions for the first time the best third line in the Bundesliga: Ahne – Berwanger – Kammerer. Average attendance: 4,040
2nd Championship
Season of the 2nd Championship. The club wants to win another championship. However, Adlmaier, Bourbonnais, Hellwig, Houle and Kokoschka have left the club, and Hans Zach is now assistant coach. In return, Ibelherr, Laycock, Mörz and Reindl are brought to the Mangfall. With Markus Berwanger, Manfred Ahne and Axel Kammerer, Rosenheim boasts the "best third line in the Bundesliga". Heinz Zerres, coach in Essen, says about the line: "They skate you off the ice — you don't stand a chance." After the preliminary round, they find themselves exactly where they wanted to be: right at the top. First playoff opponents Iserlohn prove no major hurdle, and Kaufbeuren also fail to put up enough resistance in the semi-finals — not least because Karl Friesen delivers another outstanding performance in goal. In dramatic games, Mannheimer ERC are ultimately defeated three times as well. Sportbund Rosenheim do not lose a single game in the playoffs and are crowned German Ice Hockey Champions for the second time. Average attendance: 4,700
The season does not go as planned. Injuries are once again a contributing factor to the below-par performances, and the Rosenheim crowd is far from happy. Coach Olejnik has to step down on January 30. Long-time former player Gerhard Baldauf takes over training duties. The team finishes 3rd in the preliminary round, but is eliminated by DEG in the semi-finals.
After a relatively slow start to the season, the team improves enormously following Friesen's return and finishes the preliminary round in first place. Their first playoff opponent is EV Landshut, featuring Erich Kühnhackl, who has returned to his hometown club. After two convincing 8–2 victories, the team advances to the semi-finals against Mannheimer ERC. Coach Olejnik's squad reaches the final against Köln in just three games, with Köln going on to claim the title in equally short order — also in three games. Average attendance: 4,300
They aim for the title and are considered one of the favorites in the Bundesliga. By the end of the year, SBR sit top of the table ahead of Mannheim. Against quarter-final opponents Schwenningen (again featuring Roulston), they surprisingly struggle. In the semi-finals, they defeat DEG in four games (without Pouzar). After one win each for SBR and Köln, they take the third game at home 6:0, but fall to a 5:2 defeat in Köln. Although SBR take the lead in the deciding home game through Fischer at 1:0, they lack the strength without the injured Berwanger, Hilger, Kretschmer and Pouzar. Köln are champions for the third consecutive time. Average attendance: 4,970
"Bully" is born
On September 1, 1989, our mascot "Bully" hit the ice for the very first time. To this day, he remains the symbol of Starbulls Rosenheim — making him one of the longest-serving ice hockey mascots in the DEL.
3rd Championship
At the end of the 1987/88 season, the man who had made Rosenheim's hockey success possible passed away at the age of 62 — Josef März, president of Sportbund DJK Rosenheim. He never got to witness the third title of "his" team. The first playoff opponent is Frankfurt. In the opening game, Rosenheim already lead 4–1 after the first period. In the second game, Mondi Hilger puts the Sportbund 2–0 up with two goals, but Frankfurt level the score. Gord Sherven then delivers the winner. Taking their foot off the gas, the team loses Game 3 at home 6–4. With greater intensity, however, the Bullen bounce back in Frankfurt, winning 9–2. In the semifinals, perennial playoff rivals Mannheim are waiting. All three games are won, and the team advances to the final against the DEG. The DEG had beaten Köln, winning 7–1 there. Now they lose 7–1 to Rosenheim in the first final game. In Düsseldorf, the DEG level the series with a 4–2 win. The third final game produces a spectacle for the crowd with five minutes to go. Ahne scores what looks like the decisive 3–1 for the Sportbund. This apparently upsets Rick Amann so much that he lays into Ahne — the starting gun for an entertaining 15-minute brawl involving every player on the ice, Friesen being the sole exception. The Düsseldorf side feel hard done by referee Würth afterwards and leave the ice on the orders of their president Klüh. Either way, the points now go to the Sportbund. The deciding game in Düsseldorf is played in a very sporting spirit, with two goals each from Pouzar, Hilger, and Trattner sealing a 4–2 victory. At the championship celebration on Max-Josef-Platz, however, Mayor Dr. Stöcker makes the fateful mistake of promising to do everything in his power to keep the Sportbund at the top — and announcing that the city is planning to build a new ice arena with 11,000 seats. Average attendance: 4,600
The team heads into the new season largely unchanged and is not considered one of the top favorites. In the first home game against Preußen Berlin (7:3), the 5,500 spectators — 1,500 season tickets had been sold — get their first look at "Bully," the Marox bull mascot. The team enters the playoffs in third place. After winning three games against Frankfurt, they advance to the semifinals against Köln — where they again sweep the series in three games. The team wins the first final in Düsseldorf, but drops the following home game. The next two games also go to the hosts, making the fifth game in Düsseldorf the decider. DEG leads 5:0 after the first period, wins 8:2, and clinches the championship. Average attendance: 5,560
The first season featuring clubs from the former East German states — Dynamo Berlin and Eissport Weißwasser, who at that point offer little reinforcement for the Bundesliga — unfortunately begins for the SBR once again with injuries. After the preliminary round, the Sportbund finishes in third place. Once again, the first opponents are Schwenningen, and once again the team advances with more difficulty than expected. This time, they meet Düsseldorf as early as the semifinal. Away at Brehmstraße, they win 3–2, then deliver a dominant 5–2 victory at home. However, the DEG then find their footing under coach Zach and win the next three games. Sportbund Rosenheim ultimately finishes third. Average attendance: 5,900
Withdrawal from the Bundesliga
In 1992, the SBR voluntarily withdrew from the Bundesliga due to disputes with the city over the construction of a new ice arena. The farewell celebration at Max-Josef-Platz had the feel of a championship party. Average attendance: 5,870
"Höfners Kindergarten" makes the impossible possible
After it became clear that no new ice rink would be built in Rosenheim, the club — as a finalist from the previous season — withdrew from the Bundesliga. A "fresh start" in the Oberliga had been planned, but the club was involuntarily placed into the 2. Bundesliga by the association. Only a handful of players remained from the previous squad, and Ernst Höfner (who had himself still served as captain the year before) found himself with a very young team — 19 players from the club's youth ranks. The target for the 2. Liga was a finish somewhere between 5th and 8th. But then the unthinkable happens. The team — dubbed "Höfner's Kindergarten" by the press — wins immediate promotion back to the 1. Liga! The fans' response: "Now more than ever." Fuelled by that spirit and the unexpectedly strong performances, an average of 5,100 spectators attend home games in the Bundesliga II.
After the more than surprising promotion back to the Bundesliga under head coach Ernst Höfner, the primary goal is clear: stay in the league. That objective is to be achieved with budget-friendly players and a strong contingent of youth talent. Ernst Höfner needs only a few chiefs in the team — but plenty of hard-working Indians. On the roster of this season's championship-winning EC Hedos München squad, 8 players can be found who once laced up their skates for Rosenheim: Mondi Hilger, Georg Franz, Gord Sherven, Dale Derkatch, Rainer Lutz, Anthony Vogel and Sergei Schendelew. Dieter Hegen, also part of that team, would only join the Starbulls later. Average attendance: 5,000
1994 – 2000
With the founding of the DEL along North American lines, the "Sportbund" Bullen become Star Bulls Rosenheim. Six years in the professional league, a city going wild after Jim Hiller's winning goal — and in the end, the bitter withdrawal.
Founding of the DEL
Following the North American model, the Deutsche Eishockey Liga is founded in 1994. The license holders from Rosenheim rename themselves Star Bulls Rosenheim, preserving the "SBR" abbreviation.
The Bundesliga becomes the DEL with 18 clubs, the Sportbund Rosenheim becomes the Star Bulls Rosenheim, the abbreviation SBR is retained and the name Bulls fits perfectly with the meat processing business of the main sponsor. Many other clubs also rename themselves along North American lines with the introduction of the Deutsche Eishockeyliga. In the DEL, budgets of at least 4 million DM are mandatory. The Star Bulls' budget this year stands at 6 million DM, with advertising revenue of 2.5 million DM and a projected attendance of 5,000 fans. In reality, the average attendance comes in at 3,866. The Mad Dogs München withdraw during the season, leaving only 17 clubs in the standings. Average attendance: 3,866
Kathrein New Sponsor
A new sponsor stepped in — the company Kathrein — making the stadium renovation possible. Rosenheim ice hockey was back, and so was seated spectator sport. As a result, the Marox-Stadion was also renamed the Kathrein-Stadion.
Future Starbulls head coach Ron Chyzowski makes a brief appearance in Rosenheim. He features in two games, registers an assist on the scoresheet, and spends 2 minutes in the penalty box. Average attendance: 3,974
"Hiller, Hiller - Landshut Killer"
The goal of the year is scored – according to the Eishockey-Magazin – on Friday, January 3rd, at the Rosenheim stadium. In overtime of the Rosenheim – Landshut game, SBR Canadian Jim Hiller hammers the puck into the net for the 3:2 winner. The city is turned upside down, as for a few weeks the new Bavarian ice hockey hierarchy is there for all to see: Rosenheim finishes sixth and advances to the Championship Round and Play-Offs, while EV Landshut must take the detour through the Relegation Round. At the end of the season, however, the club is facing withdrawal from the top flight due to uncertainties surrounding the 4.7 million budget for the upcoming season. The Star Bulls are not participating in DEL operations as a GmbH, and the club's board at the Sportbund is concerned that the television money from the Kirch deal may not flow as agreed. The parent club would then be left to foot the bill for any shortfalls in the ice hockey operation.
I've been waiting for a season like this ever since I started following Rosenheim ice hockey regularly back in 1970. The ultimate DEL season in the history of Rosenheim ice hockey. The crowning moment in top-level hockey: We proudly present: „THE BIGGEST TEAM WE EVER HAD!" Coach Gary Clark spared no expense or effort to, as he puts it, haul "the best team ever to set foot on Rosenheim ice" into our beautiful stadium. Even though the März era with Marox is already over, the Canadians and/or Americans are quite obviously being signed at current meat-market prices. This is the worst team ever to be let loose on the ice in Rosenheim — and that's no fault of the few Germans involved. The season is therefore going spectacularly off the rails. To the extent possible, these "players" will be sold off or loaned out somewhere as quickly as possible during the season, and usable players from last year's squad will be brought back. Average attendance: 2,095
Only 7 players are retained from the previous disastrous season. The games are significantly better than the year before, but the stated goal — reaching the playoff round — is not achieved. At times, up to 7 regular players are sidelined with injuries, and the small roster cannot adequately compensate for their absence. Furthermore, according to head coach Brunner, the team lacks aggression, and as a result he is none too pleased about receiving the award for the league's most fair-play team at the end of the season. Nevertheless, attendance is up again by 30 percent, with an average of 2,692 fans per game. Average attendance: 2,692
The last season in Germany's top ice hockey league
Second, but this time permanent relegation from Germany's top league, the DEL. Main sponsor Kathrein withdraws and sells the DEL license to Iserlohn. Foundation of Starbulls Rosenheim EV and a fresh start in the lowest division, the Bezirksliga.
2000 – 2026
From the Bezirksliga back to the DEL2 — step by step, promotion by promotion. Cup victory, runner-up finish, new stadium: modern Rosenheim is redefining itself.
Refoundation - Starbulls Rosenheim e.V.
On May 23, 2000, a new club was founded with the significant involvement of Mondi Hilger, securing the future of ice hockey in Rosenheim.
Promotion to the Landesliga
After the sale of the DEL licence, the restart comes at the very bottom. The primary goal of the founders of Starbulls Rosenheim e.V. is to preserve Rosenheim ice hockey, which has helped put the city on the map across Germany — and above all to safeguard its outstanding youth development work. And so a remarkable gathering of names from Rosenheim's former Bundesliga and DEL days comes together: ex-internationals and multiple German champions — no longer in their prime, admittedly — to take on out-of-their-depth amateur players and help put Rosenheim ice hockey back on its feet. You won't often come across a lineup like this in the lowest division. Among those playing are Anton Maidl, Jürgen Lechl, Rainer Lutz, "Wacki" Kretschmer, and one of the driving forces behind the initiative, Mondi Hilger — who at that point is still active in the DEL with the München Barons. Further players from Rosenheim's Bundesliga era include Walter Deisenberger and Vitus Mitterfellner, who spent a long time playing in Munich and goes on to become a firm fan favourite. But it isn't just the team that is record-breaking in this league. The opening faceoff of the first home game of the season against Berchtesgaden is delayed by 20 minutes, because queues of fans are still waiting at the ticket booths when the scheduled start time arrives. The pre-printed tickets nearly run out — nobody had anticipated 3,000 !!! spectators. Even the Eishockey-Magazin covers the event in its 12/2000 issue on page 4: "3,000 fans celebrate their Starbulls Starbulls Rosenheim remain at the top — at least when it comes to fan support. 3,000 fans celebrated their favourites' home debut in the Bezirksliga, the lowest tier of the Bavarian State Sports Association, and turned the match against Berchtesgaden into a real festival. Mondi Hilger & Co. provided the entertainment on the ice, toying with their opponents and scoring at almost a goal a minute in a 22:0 (7:0, 7:0, 8:0) victory. That the visitors would be heading home without a goal was clear from the outset — but managing only five shots on goal was a little disappointing, to say the least." The goals for the Starbulls in this memorable match were scored by: Mitterfellner 5, Hilger 4, Lechl 3, Kluge 2, Maidl, Rohner, Deisenberger, Brandstätter, Rohm, Sasjadvolk, Schädler and Schurzmann. Equally rare, in all likelihood, are friendly matches between DEL and Bezirksliga clubs — such as the game played in Rosenheim in February 2001: Starbulls Rosenheim vs. Düsseldorfer EG. An average attendance of 1,623 hockey fans is also nothing to scoff at for the Bezirksliga.
Promotion to the Bayernliga
As expected, EV Landsberg and the Starbulls earn promotion to the Bayernliga. In the head-to-head matchup between the two teams, EV Landsberg has the edge — just as they did in last season's final. Average attendance: 1,234
After the Starbulls' march through from the Bezirksliga, fans are once again expecting an immediate promotion to the Oberliga this year. Michael Pohl, Beppi Eckmair and Andi Schneider have already played for Sportbund, and with Stanislaw Meciar, the first foreign player since the fresh start in 2000 arrives at the Mangfall — though without making a decisive impact. However, there had probably never before been a Bayernliga season with such strong teams. The strongest sides alongside the Starbulls are EV Landsberg 2000 and EHC München. EHC München then go on to beat the Starbulls in the semi-finals and, following a victory over Landsberg in the final, earn promotion to the Oberliga. Average attendance: 1,603
Promotion to the Oberliga
On their second attempt, the Starbulls secure promotion to the Oberliga this season. From 2004/05, Rosenheim is back under the umbrella of the DEB. Their strong rivals of recent years, EV Landsberg, this time lose the playoff duel. Returning players Häusler, Thomas Schädler, and Schiffl strengthen the squad, and with Jeff Boettger — brought over from Canada mid-season — only one import player takes to the ice. Average attendance: 1,752
Since the Rosenheim ice hockey team returned to the DEB's jurisdiction, their goal has been to reach the championship round — yet the step up from the Bayern Liga to the Oberliga has proven bigger than many fans expected. The game is significantly more physical and faster-paced. In the end, however, Sportbund Rosenheim did make it into the promotion playoffs, where they faced EHC München in the final in front of 4,000 fans. Munich won the best-of-five series in 3 games, making them the clear promotion winners.
As is unfortunately often the case in ice hockey, the format of the Oberliga season was once again determined not by the participating clubs, but by those who could no longer take part due to financial difficulties. As a result, the Starbulls had a very tough time proving themselves and were eliminated in the quarterfinals against EV Landsberg during the playoff phase, finishing 8th in the standings.
Operation "Alt-Rosenheim" fails – it's downhill in the Oberliga
The teams from Hannover, Heilbronn, and Ravensburg — boasting the biggest budgets and supposedly the strongest rosters — head into the 2006/07 season as the favourites for promotion. Following a three-year plan drawn up after their promotion from the Bayernliga, the Starbulls aimed to be genuine title contenders in their third Oberliga season. They exceeded expectations in year one — but this season, they've hit rock bottom, in every sense of the word. The Rosenheim side finished no higher than 11th place this season.
Second Team (Oansbee)
In 2008, Starbulls Rosenheim entered a second team into the Bezirksliga for the first time.
After a disappointing previous season that ended with an 11th-place finish in the preliminary round, the Starbulls roster is getting a fresh look. The Starbulls managed to clinch the Play-Downs (best of seven) in Game 7 against Passau Black Hawks with a 5–0 victory, narrowly avoiding relegation.
The Starbulls Rosenheim had promotion firmly in their sights this season. The goal remained within reach right up to the final game, but in the playoffs against ESV Kaufbeuren, Kaufbeuren clinched promotion in Game 4 of the best-of-five series with a 5–3 win over the Starbulls Rosenheim — leaving Rosenheim in 2nd place, just narrowly missing their target.
Rosenheim Talents
For their first five Oberliga seasons, Starbulls Rosenheim relied exclusively on Rosenheim-based players — young talents coming up from the DNL squad alongside veteran returnees from other, often higher-division clubs. Either way, a number of other experienced players were ultimately willing to pull on the jersey for the newly founded Starbulls Rosenheim e.V. and help get the new club off the ground.
Promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga
After a very mixed season and six years in the Oberliga, the Starbulls truly hit their stride in the 2009/2010 playoffs, claiming victory in the final against EC Peiting and securing promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. Ice hockey in Rosenheim has now definitively returned to the national level of German hockey.
First Cup Victory in the DEB Cup
The Rosenheimers edged out Ravensburg Towerstars 3:2 in the DEB Cup final, bringing the first cup title home to Rosenheim. In the regular season, however, the Rosenheimers were eliminated in the playoff semifinals by Ravensburg Towerstars, suffering a 4:1 defeat.
Runner-up in the 2nd Bundesliga
Already in their second year in the 2nd Ice Hockey Bundesliga, the squad led by coach Franz Steer battled their way to the final with tremendous fight and passion. In a dream final against the Landshut Cannibals, the Starbulls ultimately fell short. Yet they were celebrated by the fans like champions.
Founded DEL2
On September 13, 2013, the Starbulls Rosenheim kicked off the first season of the new, independent league — the DEL2 — alongside 11 other teams.
The Starbulls Rosenheim qualified comfortably for the playoffs in the 2012/13 season, where they defeated arch-rivals in the quarterfinals 4–2 to advance to the semifinals. However, the run came to an end against the Bietigheim Steelers in the semifinals, with the Starbulls Rosenheim finishing in 4th place.
Renovation of the Mascot Bully
Since our Bully had gotten on in years and time had left its mark on him, he was completely gutted and rebuilt from scratch by the Starbulls officials in 2014. New since then: glowing eyes and horns.
The 2013/2014 season went very well for the Starbulls Rosenheim, as they finished 2nd in the standings. In the playoffs, however, they were eliminated in the semifinals against the Bietigheim Steelers with a 4–2 defeat.
An era comes to an end
In 2014, it was announced that the current board of directors would be stepping down. Having guided the club — re-founded in 2000 — back to the top of German ice hockey, Wilhelm Graue, Karl Aicher and Richard Diebald stepped aside to focus on their private lives.
New Board of Directors
In 2014, a new board of directors was elected for Starbulls Rosenheim. 167 club members accepted the invitation to the extraordinary general meeting held at the OVB-Druckzentrum in Aisingerwies. The election went unanimously and without a hitch. The new board replaces Wilhelm Graue, Karl Aicher, and Richard Diebald after nearly 15 years of service. The new board is made up of: Jost Fischer (Chairman) Peter Dürr (Vice-Chairman) Marcus Thaller (Second Vice-Chairman)
The Starbulls Rosenheim had a very mixed season in 2014/15, falling at the playoff quarterfinal stage and finishing in 8th place.
New Main Sponsor
The Starbulls from Rosenheim present their new main sponsor in 2015. Meinestadt.de can be seen on the Starbulls' jerseys starting this year.
New Stadium Name - emilo-Stadion
The ice rink on Jahnstraße has carried many names over the decades. After the roof was added in 1973, it was first known as the Frucade-Stadion during the EV Rosenheim era. In the 1980s, the Starbulls' skaters celebrated their greatest successes under the name Marox-Stadion, claiming the German championship three times. From the 1990s onward, the arena was known as the Kathrein-Stadion. On 31 December 2015, the naming rights contract expired and was not renewed, prompting the city of Rosenheim and the Starbulls to search for a new naming partner. As the Oberbayerisches Volksblatt reported on Tuesday, negotiations with Munich-based coffee roaster Emilo — a company that had already been advertising extensively inside the stadium — have now been concluded. By mid-April the time had come: the new lettering was installed, and the arena has been known as the emilo-Stadion ever since.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS RESTRUCTURED
In August 2016, the Starbulls' board of directors was restructured at a regular general meeting of members. After the then-chairman Jost Fischer stepped down from his position at his own request, new leaders had to be found to guide the fortunes of the traditional club from the Mangfall. The trio led by new chairman Hans-Peter Schwarzfischer, managing director of an online retailer, was elected without a single vote against at the general meeting held at the OVB-Medienforum. The new board consists of: Hans-Peter Schwarzfischer (Chairman) Stephan Gottwald (Vice-Chairman) Marcus Thaller (Second Vice-Chairman)
Eliminated in the Quarterfinals
After the regular season, the Starbulls finish in eighth place and have to go through the Pre-Playoffs. There they defeat SC Riessersee in three games. Elimination comes in the quarterfinals against regular season champions Bietigheim Steelers, with the series ending 1–4. Once again, two new import players shine. C.J. Stretch and Wade MacLeod immediately crack the top ten in the scorer standings after the regular season. The best Rosenheim performer in the end is MacLeod, who puts up 37 goals and 31 assists in 58 games.
Relegation from the DEL2
A bitter season for Rosenheim ice hockey: a lengthy injury list rocks the team to its foundations. Around Christmas, they play through a packed schedule with just two lines and slide down the standings — the playoffs slip out of reach, and they finish twelfth after the regular season. And it gets worse: Rosenheim lose the first playdown round to Heilbronn 2–4 and are forced into the decisive relegation final. There they fall to Eispiraten Crimmitschau 2–4 in the series and are relegated. Even a mid-relegation-round coaching change couldn't turn the tide: long-serving head coach Franz Steer was let go, and youth-team coach Thomas Schädler stepped in. All this despite two Rosenheim forwards — Tyler Scofield and Tyler McNeely — finishing in the top ten of the overall scoring charts after the regular season. Scofield was ultimately the top Rosenheim performer, tallying 32 goals and 35 assists in 59 games.
Restart in the Oberliga
With a new head coach, the Starbulls got to work following relegation. Manuel Kofler had come from Bad Aibling, and the former international player now faced the task of building a new roster. The Starbulls leaned heavily on local talent and finished second in the regular season, level on points with winners Landshut. In the Oberliga Süd championship round, they again claimed second place, this time behind Deggendorf. In the Playoff round of 16, the Starbulls defeated the Hannover Indians 3–1, before their run came to an end in the quarterfinals against the Hannover Scorpions, who eliminated them 3–1. The top scorer among Rosenheim players was Michael Baindl, who recorded eleven goals and 46 assists in 54 games.
Dead End in Hannover Again
Playoff quarterfinals again, and again the Hannover Scorpions. The Lower Saxony side once more proved to be the end of the road for the Starbulls. This time it was 3:2 for Hannover; prior to that, Rosenheim had eliminated Essen in the round of 16 with a 3:0 sweep. Before that, things hadn't exactly gone to plan: the team finished fifth in the South main round, improving only marginally to fourth place in the championship round. With 62 points each, two players shared the title of top internal scorer: Michael Baindl, who scored 22 goals and added 40 assists in 50 games, and Chase Witala, with 29 goals and 33 assists in 52 appearances.
Season Cancelled Due to COVID-19
Next shot at the top. Under new head coach John Sicinski, the Starbulls finish third in the regular season, before dropping to fifth place in the Oberliga Süd championship round. However, there are no playoffs — they are cancelled as the coronavirus spreads across the globe. In the games played, Josh Mitchell emerges as Rosenheim's top scorer, tallying 16 goals and 50 assists in 48 games.
Semifinal in the Ghost-Game Season
This season was again heavily shaped by COVID-19. The season started later, some games were played without fans in attendance, and the playoffs ran for a long time without integration with the northern division. In the regular season, the Starbulls finished third. In the playoff quarterfinals, Rosenheim defeated EC Peiting 3–0, but the semifinals ended in defeat against the team that would go on to earn promotion: the Starbulls fell to Selber Wölfe 2–3. The top scorer in Rosenheim was Curtis Leinweber, with 15 goals and 31 assists in 34 games.
Quarter-Final Elimination Against Hannover
Covid still played a role: in the final standings of the regular season, teams had to have played at least 75 percent of their scheduled games to be ranked. The Starbulls met that threshold and finished third in the South regular season. In the playoffs, they first eliminated the Crocodiles Hamburg 3–0, before a familiar opponent awaited in the quarterfinals: once again, Rosenheim's run came to an end against the Hannover Scorpions — this time losing 1–3. The top Starbulls scorer was Brad Snetsinger, who recorded 22 goals and 42 assists in 44 games.
Oberliga Champions and Promotion to the DEL2
Neue Saison, neuer Trainer: Mit Jari Pasanen übernimmt ein erfahrener Coach die Starbulls. In der Hauptrunde der Oberliga Süd belegen die Starbulls den zweiten Platz und ziehen souverän in die Playoffs ein: Dort besiegen die Rosenheimer im Achtelfinale Leipzig mit 3:0, im Viertelfinale geht es in die Niederlande zu den Tilburg Trappers, die man am Ende mit 3:1 bezwingt. Im Halbfinale entledigen sich die Starbulls dann eines alten Traumas: Gegen die Hannover Scorpions triumphieren sie mit 3:1 Siegen und ziehen damit erstmals nach dem Abstieg aus der DEL2 ins Oberliga-Finale ein. Dort warten die Blue Devils Weiden, die man mit 3:1 Siegen bezwingt – Rosenheim ist Meister der Oberliga und steigt in die DEL2 auf. Das entscheidende Tor zum Titel fiel an der Mangfall durch Brad McGowan in der zweiten Verlängerung. Bester Rosenheimer Scorer der gesamten Saison war Norman Hauner mit 46 Toren und 37 Vorlagen in 56 Spielen – er wurde auch zum wertvollsten Spieler der Playoffs ausgezeichnet.
Staying Up After the Return
After returning to the second-highest division, the Starbulls' first priority is to secure their place in the DEL2. They achieve this in the first round of the Playdowns with a 2-1 victory over the Bietigheim Steelers. For much of the season, Rosenheim had even been in the hunt for a playoff spot, ultimately finishing eleventh after the regular season. Returning player C.J. Stretch made it into the top ten scorers in the league after the regular season, and also led the Starbulls' internal rankings at the end of the season with 14 goals and 37 assists in 53 games.
Straight to the Playoffs
The Starbulls are on the march: in their second season back in the DEL2, they qualify directly for the playoffs as fifth in the regular season with 90 points. There, they ultimately fell in the quarterfinals to eventual champions Dresden, losing 1–4. C.J. Stretch was the fourth-highest scorer in the DEL2 after the regular season, finishing with 13 goals and 46 assists in 57 games. Goaltender Oskar Autio delivered a standout performance. The Finn posted the second-best goals-against average and the best save percentage in the regular season, and was honored at the DEL2 Awards Evening as both the league's best goaltender and its overall most valuable player.
Third after the regular season
In their third season back in the DEL2, the Starbulls continue to raise their game. They finish the regular season third overall with 97 points, securing home-ice advantage for the quarter-finals. There they face Eisbären Regensburg, who finished sixth in the regular season. However, Rosenheim's playoff run ends in the first round once again, with Regensburg winning the series 4-2. The Upper Palatinate side also claim victory in an epic game in Rosenheim — now the longest match in DEL2 history — winning 6-5 in the third overtime period. Top scorer in a Starbulls jersey is Scott Feser, who tallies 21 goals and 39 assists in 58 games.