2023 German Football League

2023 German Football League
LeagueGerman Football League
SportAmerican football
Duration20 May – 14 October
Number of teams16
Promoted to GFLHildesheim Invaders, Kirchdorf Wildcats
Relegated to GFL2Marburg Mercenaries
Regular season
GFL North championsPotsdam Royals (2)
GFL South championsSchwäbisch Hall Unicorns (13)
GFL Bowl 2023
ChampionsPotsdam Royals
  Runners-upSchwäbisch Hall Unicorns
Finals MVPJaylon Henderson
GFL seasons

The 2023 German Football League season is the 44th edition of the top-level American football competition in Germany.

The regular season started on 20 May and ended on 10 September 2023, followed by the play-offs.[1] In the GFL Bowl, which was held on 14 October 2023 in Essen, the Potsdam Royals won their first national title.

Modus

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Location of teams in the German Football League 2023

The league is divided in two conferences, north and south, and both conferences are divided in two divisions. During the regular season each club plays all other clubs in its division twice, home and away, and the teams of the other division of its conference once. In addition, each team plays one home and one away game against a team of the other conference, resulting in each team playing 12 regular season games.[2][1]

In case of a tie in standings, the head-to-head record is taken as the first tiebreaker after winning percentage.

The best four teams in each conference qualify for the play-offs where, in the quarter finals, teams from opposite conferences play each other, whereby the better placed teams have home field advantage. The first placed team plays the fourth placed from the other conference and the second placed the third placed team. From the semi-finals onwards teams from the same conference can meet again.[1]

The eighth placed team in the southern conference enters a two-leg play-off with the winner of the respective conference of the German Football League 2, the second tier of the league system in Germany. The winner of this contest qualifies for the GFL for the following season.[1] Had there been eight teams in the northern conference, a similar promotion/relegation round would have been played in the North.

League tables

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GFL

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The league tables of the two GFL divisions:

GFL North

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD PCT Qualification or relegation
1 Potsdam Royals 12 11 1 599 236 +363 .917 Qualification to play-offs
2 Dresden Monarchs 12 10 2 488 280 +208 .833
3 New Yorker Lions 12 10 2 356 175 +181 .833
4 Berlin Rebels 12 6 6 291 276 +15 .500
5 Berlin Adler 12 5 7 286 341 −55 .417
6 Paderborn Dolphins 12 3 9 184 432 −248 .250
7 Kiel Baltic Hurricanes 12 1 11 259 446 −187 .083
8 Cologne Crocodiles[a] 0 0 0 0 0 0 — Withdrew before season
Source: gflstats.info, football-aktuell.de
  1. ^ The Cologne Crocodiles announced their withdrawal in April.

GFL South

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD PCT Qualification or relegation
1 Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 12 9 3 397 244 +153 .750 Qualification to play-offs
2 Allgäu Comets 12 9 3 389 284 +105 .750
3 Saarland Hurricanes 12 9 3 465 366 +99 .750
4 Ingolstadt Dukes 12 6 6 387 340 +47 .500
5 Munich Cowboys 12 3 9 169 359 −190 .250
6 Straubing Spiders 12 3 9 204 397 −193 .250
7 Marburg Mercenaries 12 3 9 251 383 −132 .250 Withdrew after season
8 Ravensburg Razorbacks 12 2 10 209 375 −166 .167 Relegation play-offs to GFL2[a]
Source: gflstats.info, football-aktuell.de
  1. ^ Withdrew the relegation play-off, however remained in the GFL after the withdrawal of the Mercenaries

GFL2

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The league tables of the two GFL2 divisions:

GFL2 North

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD PCT Qualification or relegation
1 Hildesheim Invaders 10 10 0 523 227 +296 1.000 Promotion to GFL
2 Düsseldorf Panther 10 8 2 301 182 +119 .800
3 Rostock Griffins 10 7 3 404 254 +150 .700
4 Langenfeld Longhorns 10 4 6 212 230 −18 .400
5 Lübeck Cougars 10 4 6 288 406 −118 .400
6 Oldenburg Knights 10 3 7 165 303 −138 .300
7 Münster Blackhawks 10 2 8 137 352 −215 .200 Relegation to Regionalliga
8 Solingen Paladins 10 2 8 218 294 −76 .200
Source: gflstats.info, football-aktuell.de
Rules for classification: 1) Winning percentage, 2) Head-to-head results

GFL2 South

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Pos Team Pld W L PF PA PD PCT Qualification or relegation
1 Kirchdorf Wildcats 10 9 1 366 163 +203 .900 Qualification to promotion play-off
2 Fursty Razorbacks 10 8 2 268 164 +104 .800
3 Regensburg Phoenix 10 7 3 336 198 +138 .700
4 Pforzheim Wilddogs 10 5 5 191 169 +22 .500
5 Gießen Golden Dragons 10 4 6 257 270 −13 .400
6 Frankfurt Universe 10 4 6 227 313 −86 .400
7 Bad Homburg Sentinels 10 2 8 103 235 −132 .200 Relegation to Regionalliga
8 Stuttgart Scorpions 10 1 9 95 331 −236 .100
Source: gflstats.info, football-aktuell.de
Rules for classification: 1) Winning percentage, 2) Head-to-head results

Postseason

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Relegation and Promotion round

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In the Northern Division there was no relegation game since there were only seven teams in the league. In the Southern Division the Ravensburg Razorbacks withdrew from playing the relegation game against Kirchdorf Wildcats. Later the Ingolstadt Dukes withdrew their team from the GFL, hence the Razorbacks remained in the GFL and the Wildcats got promoted.

Playoffs

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Quarterfinals Semifinals GFL Bowl
         
N1 Potsdam Royals 54
S4 Ingolstadt Dukes 0
N1 Potsdam Royals 41
N3 New Yorker Lions 28
S2 Allgäu Comets 34
N3 New Yorker Lions 36
N1 Potsdam Royals 34
S1 Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 7
S1 Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 17
N4 Berlin Rebels 7
S1 Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns 36
N2 Dresden Monarchs 30
N2 Dresden Monarchs 45
S3 Saarland Hurricanes 38

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "GFL Spielplan – GFL". www.gfl.info (in German). Retrieved 17 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Die GFL startet am 20. Mai in die Saison 2023" (in German). 18 December 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
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