The EHC Bayreuth Tigers are a professional ice hockey team based in Bayreuth, Bavaria, Germany. The team currently plays in the Regionalliga, the fourth-highest level of ice hockey in Germany. The Tigers play their home games at the Kunsteisstadion.
History Founded in 2006 as EHC Bayreuth (Eishockey Club Bayreuth), the team began as members of the Bayernliga, the lowest level of professional hockey in Germany. The club earned two promotions in their first three years of operation, earning a spot in the Regionalliga by 2009. It took just 4 years for the Tigers to win a championship and earn another promotion, this time to the Oberliga (third tier). The club continued their rapid ascent and reached the league final in 2016. While they ultimately fell to the Tilburg Trappers, because their opponents were a Dutch team, Bayreuth was awarded a promotion to DEL2.
The team's first season in the German second league ended with them posting a middling 21–21–10 mark, the first time the club did not post a winning record. After that season, the team rebranded as the 'Bayreuth Tigers' but the new name did not portent a brighter future. The second season was a disaster for the club as they finished last in the standings and lost in relegation. However, due to the financial problems of SC Riessersee, Bayreuth was given a reprieve and allowed to remain in DEL2. While Bayreuth saw some improvement over the next few years, the team was continually at risk of relegation and had to stave off demotion every year (relegation in 2020 and 2021 did not occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic). In 2023, even after saving themselves in the relegation round, the Tigers were unable to secure a license for the following year and were demoted back to the Oberliga.
A year after returning to the third tier, the club reached a sponsorship agreement with Onesto, an Ordering and Booking company, to shore up the club financial situation. As a result, the team officially became the 'Onesto Tigers Bayreuth' in 2024. In 2026, the club changed its name to the EHC Bayreuth Tigers.
Season-by-season results Since 2009 Season Finish PlayoffsRegionalliga 2009–10 30 17 2 1 10 56 129 105 4th of 16, BayernligaLost First Intermediate Group A Round Robin, 3–3–0 2010–11 30 18 1 5 6 61 151 95 t-2nd of 16, BayernligaLost Group A Round Robin, 2–0–2–2 2011–12 30 21 2 2 5 69 136 80 3rd of 16, BayernligaWon Group B Round Robin, 4–0–2–0Lost Semifinal series, 0–2 (EV Weiden) 2012–13 26 20 2 0 4 64 141 62 2nd of 14, BayernligaWon Group B Round Robin, 8–0–0–0Won Semifinal series, 2–0 (EC Pfaffenhofen)Won Championship series, 3–1 (ERC Sonthofen 1999)Oberliga 2013–14 44 23 3 2 16 77 177 136 4th of 12, Oberliga SouthWon South Qualification Semifinal series, 4–2 (EHC Klostersee)Lost South Qualification Final series, 1–3 (VER Selb) 2014–15 44 26 4 3 11 89 194 128 4th of 12, Oberliga SouthWon South Qualification series, 4–0 (Tölzer Löwen)Lost series, 0–3 (EHC Freiburg) 2015–16 40 24 4 0 12 80 156 113 2nd of 11, Oberliga SouthWon South Qualification Finals series, 3–0 (Deggendorfer SC)Won Quarterfinal series, 3–0 (Saale Bulls Halle)Won Semifinal series, 3–1 (EVR Regensburg)Lost Championship series, 0–3 (Tilburg Trappers)DEL2 2016–17 52 21 2 8 21 75 146 155 8th of 14, DEL2Won First Round series, 2–1 (SC Riessersee)Lost Quarterfinal series, 1–4 (Bietigheim Steelers) 2017–18 52 10 6 5 31 47 134 195 14th of 14, DEL2Lost Relegation Semifinal series, 3–4 (Lausitzer Füchse)Lost Relegation Final series, 1–4 (Tölzer Löwen) 2018–19 52 18 6 4 26 68 170 196 11th of 14, DEL2Won Relegation Semifinal series, 4–0 (Deggendorfer SC) 2019–20 52 17 7 5 23 70 183 183 12th of 14, DEL2relegation cancelled 2020–21 50 12 4 5 29 49 145 205 14th of 14, DEL2relegation cancelled 2021–22 52 17 1 6 28 59 165 203 11th of 14, DEL2Lost Relegation Semifinal series, 2–4 (Selber Wölfe)Won Relegation Final series, 4–2 (Tölzer Löwen) 2022–23 52 8 4 6 34 38 125 206 14th of 14, DEL2Lost Relegation Semifinal series, 2–4 (Eispiraten Crimmitschau)Won Relegation Final series, 4–2 (Heilbronner Falken)Oberliga 2023–24 48 22 2 5 19 75 184 182 6th of 13, Oberliga SouthDid not qualify 2024–25 48 11 4 3 31 41 145 226 12th of 13, Oberliga SouthDid not qualify
References
External links Official website Elite Prospects Hockey DB Euro Hockey