Rhein-Neckar Löwen

Germany

Founded

2002

Arena

SAP Arena · 14,500 cap

Rhein-Neckar Löwen is a professional handball club founded in 2002, based in Mannheim, Germany. The club competes in the German Handball-Bundesliga and continentally in EHF Champions League. Rhein-Neckar Löwen play their home games in SAP Arena, with a seating capacity of 14,500. On 1 July 2002, the club was founded, originally named SG Kronau/Östringen, following a merger between two clubs, TSG Kronau and TSV Baden Östringen. Their home ground was Rhein-Neckar-Halle. In their first season, 2002–03, the club succeeded to achieve promoting from the 2. Bundesliga to the top tier of the German handball, the Handball-Bundesliga. A season after, in 2003–04, they were relegated from the 16th position, but they returned again to the first Bundesliga in 2004–05 season, after finishing the season in the 2nd place of the 2. Bundesliga. In 2005–06 season, SG Kronau/Östringen home games were moved from the old Rhein-Neckar-Halle to the newly built SAP Arena in Mannheim. In this season, they reached the final of DHB Cup. They lost 25–26 to HSV Hamburg, and finished 6th in the Handball-Bundesliga. In the following season, they lost again in DHB Cup final, with a 33–31 to THW Kiel, and finished 8th in the Handball-Bundesliga. The club won the German championship two times – in 2016, and in 2017.

TVB 1898 Stuttgart

Germany

Founded

1898

Arena

Porsche-Arena · 2,050 cap

Turnverein Bittenfeld 1898 e. V. or TV Bittenfeld is a handball club from Waiblingen, town of Bittenfeld, Germany. This club played in 2nd division of German Handball League, Handball-Bundesliga since season 2006/07 until 2014/15. After successful 3rd place in overall ranking of season 2014/15, the team rose to the 1st division of German League and changed name to TVB 1898 Stuttgart. The team's home games take place in Scharrena Stuttgart. Due to restricted capacity of home arena, some of the games are held in Porsche-Arena in the nearby area.