Germany's Second-Tier Hockey League Facing Questions About Future

Germany's second-tier hockey league "is in disarray due to a dispute between club representatives and its governing body, the German Hockey Federation (DEB)," according to EISHOCKEY-MAGAZIN.de. A portion of the 13 second Bundesliga clubs, with current champion EV Landshut and its sole shareholder Rainer Beck leading the way, "wants to join the Deutsche Eishockey Liga as a so-called DEL II." The others want to continue the league's affiliation with the DEB. Heilbronner Falken Manager Ernst Rupp went public and announced that the club "would favor a partnership with the DEL." If the league breaks off its affiliation with the DEB, Rupp wants "to fill the league" with different clubs such as Frankfurt and Kassel. The question is do those clubs want to be part of a new DEL II, and do DEB-loyal teams like Kaufbeuren, Rosenheim and Garmisch have a sudden change of heart and agree to partner with the DEL? Those will be the questions at the next meeting of club representatives on July 18 (EISHOCKEY-MAGAZIN.de, 7/8).