Starbulls Rosenheim

Lore & Background

The team joined SB/DJK Rosenheim in 1979, after EV Rosenheim had folded, and in 1994 adopted the current name. The Starbulls played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) from 1995 to 2000, then sold their DEL licence to the Iserlohn Roosters in 2000. The current entity, Starbulls Rosenheim e.V., was founded on May 23, 2000, and had to restart in the lowest league, the Bezirksliga. The team's honored numbers are displayed as banners under the stadium roof, but the numbers are not retired; for example, Mitch Stephens wore number 27 between 2009 and 2012, and Denis Shevyrin wore number 15 in the 2023/24 season.

Reader's Guide

The Starbulls Rosenheim represent a notable case of resilience in German hockey. After the original EV Rosenheim folded, the team joined SB/DJK Rosenheim in 1979 and later adopted the Starbulls name in 1994. Their five-year stint in the DEL from 1995 to 2000 ended when they sold their licence to the Iserlohn Roosters, forcing a restart in the Bezirksliga, the lowest tier. Despite this setback, the club rebuilt and eventually returned to the DEL2, the second-highest level. Their achievements include three West German championships (1982, 1985, 1989) and a Deutscher Eishockey-Pokal title in 2011. The club honors former players with banners, but does not retire numbers, as evidenced by later players wearing those same digits. The team's history underscores the volatility of professional sports franchises and the ability to recover from organizational collapse.

Did You Know?

• The team sold its DEL licence to the Iserlohn Roosters in 2000.
• Honored numbers are displayed as banners but are not retired; Mitch Stephens wore number 27 between 2009 and 2012.
• The Starbulls won the Deutscher Eishockey-Pokal in 2011.