Stuttgart Scorpions
Encyclopedia
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
.
, where it played until 1985.
The club, after having earned promotion, spent the 1986 and 1987 season in the central division of the American Football Bundesliga, now the German Football League
, but was only able to win one game in two years and found itself relegated back to the second tier for 1988. At this league, the team once more was a top performer and won two division titles in 1990 and 1991, with the later also earning promotion to the Bundesliga once more.
The Scorpions once more struggled at top level and were immediately relegated again. After coming second in 1993 and winning its division the following year, the Scorpions were able to defeat the Franken Knights 47-0 in the promotion round and moved up for a third time in their history.
The club was now much improved at the top level and reached the quarter finals in its first two seasons back, 1995 and 1996. After a difficult 1997 season, when survival was only assured in the relegation round against the Saarland Hurricanes
, the Scorpions would finally be able to deliver constant top-level performances. From 1998 onwards, the team was to reach the play-offs every season.
The Stuttgart Scorpions won the southern division of the Bundesliga in 1998 and were able to reach the semi finals of the German championship for the first time. In 2001, 2002 and 2006, this play-off performance was repeated, in between, the club was knocked out in the semi finals. The 2007 season was to be the clubs best-ever, first winning the southern division of the GFL for only the second time and then progressing all the way to the German Bowl
. In this game, the Scorpions were defeated 27-6 by the Braunschweig Lions
, despite playing at home in Stuttgart.
Since then, the teams performances have fallen off, only being able to reach the quarter finals of the championship in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2011, the side finished third in its division, qualifying for the play-offs once more, where they lost to the Mönchengladbach Mavericks
.
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 Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, 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 clubs greatest success came in 2007, when it reached the 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....
but 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 Stuttgart Scorpions were formed in December 1982. The new club spent its first couple of seasons in the 2nd Bundesliga, now the German Football League 2German Football League 2
The 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:...
, where it played until 1985.
The club, after having earned promotion, spent the 1986 and 1987 season in the central division of the American Football Bundesliga, now 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....
, but was only able to win one game in two years and found itself relegated back to the second tier for 1988. At this league, the team once more was a top performer and won two division titles in 1990 and 1991, with the later also earning promotion to the Bundesliga once more.
The Scorpions once more struggled at top level and were immediately relegated again. After coming second in 1993 and winning its division the following year, the Scorpions were able to defeat the Franken Knights 47-0 in the promotion round and moved up for a third time in their history.
The club was now much improved at the top level and reached the quarter finals in its first two seasons back, 1995 and 1996. After a difficult 1997 season, when survival was only assured in the relegation round against the Saarland Hurricanes
Saarland Hurricanes
The Saarland Hurricanes are an American football team from Saarbrücken, Germany. Saarbrücken is the capital of the federal German state of Saarland, which the club is named after...
, the Scorpions would finally be able to deliver constant top-level performances. From 1998 onwards, the team was to reach the play-offs every season.
The Stuttgart Scorpions won the southern division of the Bundesliga in 1998 and were able to reach the semi finals of the German championship for the first time. In 2001, 2002 and 2006, this play-off performance was repeated, in between, the club was knocked out in the semi finals. The 2007 season was to be the clubs best-ever, first winning the southern division of the GFL for only the second time and then progressing all the way to the 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....
. In this game, the Scorpions were defeated 27-6 by 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....
, despite playing at home in Stuttgart.
Since then, the teams performances have fallen off, only being able to reach the quarter finals of the championship in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2011, the side finished third in its division, qualifying for the play-offs once more, where they lost to the Mönchengladbach Mavericks
Mönchengladbach Mavericks
The Mönchengladbach Mavericks are an American football team from Mönchengladbach, Germany.The club won promotion to the German Football League in 2010, and qualified for the semi finals of the play-offs the following year, its greatest success.-History:...
.
Honours
- 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: 2007
- EFLEuropean Football LeagueThe European Football League is a European Cup style tournament for European American Football teams affiliated to EFAF...
- Participations: 2008
- 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: 1998, 2007
- Play-off qualification : (16) 1995, 1996, 1998–2011
- League membership : (20) 1986–1987, 1992, 1995–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:...
- Central Division champions: 1985, 1990, 1991, 1994
- 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....
- Runners-up: 1992, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008
German Bowl appearances
The club has only appeared once in the German Bowl:| Bowl | Date | Champions | Runners-Up | Score | Location | Attendance |
| XXIX | October 6, 2007 | Braunschweig Lions | Stuttgart Scorpions | 27-6 | Stuttgart Stuttgart Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million .... |
8,152 |
- Champions in bold.
Recent seasons
Recent seasons of the Scorpions:| 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) |
3rd | 10–10 | 0.500 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 353 | 343 | Lost QF: 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... (0–30) |
| 2006 | 2nd | 17–7 | 0.708 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 407 | 190 | 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... (47–27) 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.... (17–36) |
|
| 2007 | 1st | 20–4 | 0.833 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 390 | 144 | Won QF: 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... (27–17) Won 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.... (19–14) 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.... (6–27) |
|
| 2008 | 2nd | 16–8 | 0.667 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 302 | 195 | Lost 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.... (6–9) |
|
| 2009 | 3rd | 11–13 | 0.458 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 331 | 302 | Lost 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... (6–20) |
|
| 2010 | 4th | 8–16 | 0.333 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 228 | 280 | Lost 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... (21–23) |
|
| 2011 | 3rd | 15–11 | 0.577 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 316 | 335 | Lost QF: Mönchengladbach Mavericks Mönchengladbach Mavericks The Mönchengladbach Mavericks are an American football team from Mönchengladbach, Germany.The club won promotion to the German Football League in 2010, and qualified for the semi finals of the play-offs the following year, its greatest success.-History:... (17–43) |
- RR = Relegation round.
- QF = Quarter finals.
- SF = Semi finals.
- GB = German Bowl