Bayer Giants Leverkusen
| Bayer Giants Leverkusen | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Leagues | ProB | ||
| Founded | 1961 | ||
| History |
TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1961–1983 TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen 1983–2000 Bayer Giants Leverkusen 2000–present | ||
| Arena | Wilhelm Dopatka Halle | ||
| Capacity | 3,500 | ||
| Location | Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia | ||
| Championships |
14 German Championships 10 German Cup 1 ProB | ||
| Website |
www | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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Bayer Giants Leverkusen is a professional basketball club, part of the Bayer Leverkusen sports club based in Leverkusen, Germany. It currently plays in ProA, German second league.
Based on the number of titles, Leverkusen is the most successful team in the history of German Basketball.[1] In 2009, the Bayer company cut down sponsorship and the club went down to Germany's ProB (third division) to restructure. The license for the Basketball Bundesliga was transferred to the newly formed Giants Düsseldorf.
History
Founded as TuS Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 1961, the club moved up to first division Basketball Bundesliga in 1968. The club won 5 national championships and 4 German Cups as TuS 04 Leverkusen before it changed its name and continued its dominance as TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Until today, the club has won more national titles than any other German basketball team.[2]
To the disdain of all of its supporters, in 2008 the Bayer company decided to make dramatic cuts in its sponsorship for the team and simply focus on its football operations and amateur athletics. This move forced the club's basketball team to cede its Basketball Bundesliga license to the newly formed Giants Düsseldorf and move down to Germany's 3rd Division Pro B to restructure.
Thousands of club supporters gathered in the streets of Leverkusen to protest the company's move.[3][4]
On 2013, the club promotes to ProA.
Season by season
| Season | Tier | League | Pos. | German Cup | European competitions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–90 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 2 Cup Winners' Cup | R16 |
| 1990–91 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 1 Champions Cup | QF |
| 1991–92 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | 1 Euroleague | GS | |
| 1992–93 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1993–94 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Semifinalist | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1994–95 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Champion | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1995–96 | 1 | Bundesliga | 1st | Runner-up | 1 Euroleague | GS |
| 1996–97 | 1 | Bundesliga | 4th | 1 Euroleague | GS | |
| 1997–98 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | 2 EuroCup | R32 | |
| 1998–99 | 1 | Bundesliga | 4th | 3 Korać Cup | GS | |
| 1999–00 | 1 | Bundesliga | 2nd | 3 Korać Cup | GS | |
| 2000–01 | 1 | Bundesliga | 3rd | Third position | 1 SuproLeague | RS |
| 2001–02 | 1 | Bundesliga | 5th | 3 Korać Cup | R16 | |
| 2002–03 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | 4 Regional Challenge Cup North | RU | |
| 2003–04 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | |||
| 2004–05 | 1 | Bundesliga | 13th | |||
| 2005–06 | 1 | Bundesliga | 10th | |||
| 2006–07 | 1 | Bundesliga | 8th | |||
| 2007–08 | 1 | Bundesliga | 6th[lower-alpha 1] | |||
| 2008–09 | 4 | 1st Regionalliga | 1st | |||
| 2009–10 | 3 | ProB | 7th | |||
| 2010–11 | 3 | ProB | 8th | |||
| 2011–12 | 3 | ProB | 11th | |||
| 2012–13 | 3 | ProB | 5th | |||
| 2013–14 | 2 | ProA | 13th | |||
| 2014–15 | 2 | ProA | 14th | |||
| 2015–16 | 2 | ProA | 15th | |||
| 2016–17 | 3 | ProB | 4th | |||
- ↑ Sold its place to Giants Düsseldorf.
Honours
- Winners (14): 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1979, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
- Winners (10): 1970, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995
- Winners (1): 2013
Notable players
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References
- ↑ http://www.leverkusen.com/bayer04/index2.php?site=history/index_e.html
- ↑ http://www.leverkusen.com/bayer04/index2.php?site=history/index_e.html
- ↑ http://www.rp-online.de/bergischesland/leverkusen/nachrichten/leverkusen/Giants-Fants-buhen-Dezernenten-aus_aid_545344.html
- ↑ http://www.rettet-die-giants.de/content/view/62/33/
External links
- Team Homepage (in German)