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Heilbronn in the ice hockey crisis: Falcons lose license for 2025/26!
Heilbronn faces challenges in professional ice hockey: Falcons do not receive a license, HEC demands solutions and cooperation.
Heilbronn in the ice hockey crisis: Falcons lose license for 2025/26!
On July 16, 2025, Heilbronn ice hockey is currently in jeopardy. The Heilbronner Eisbären have published a clear statement on the future of professional ice hockey in Heilbronn. The background to these explanations lies in the decision of the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) not to grant the Heilbronner Falken a license for the 2025/2026 season. This is particularly explosive since the Falken won the Ice Hockey Oberliga Süd championship last season and were considered favorites for promotion to the DEL2. However, the problems start with the license documents submitted, which, according to DEB, are incomplete and essential documents are missing, which is why the Falken did not make an official statement about the situation until July 11, 2025.
The statement from the Heilbronner Eisbären emphasizes that the management of the Heilbronner Falken, as an independently managed GmbH & Co. KG, is responsible for the economic and organizational decisions. As a registered club, the Heilbronn Ice Hockey Club Eisbären e.V. has no decision-making authority on an economic or license-related level. Nevertheless, the HEC shows great commitment to the professional ice hockey location Heilbronn and supports the Falken in this difficult phase. If non-licensing were to remain in place, the financial impact would also be noticeable for the HEC. A loss of the sporting figurehead could have fatal consequences.
Renewed calls for resignation
In view of the tense situation, there were calls for resignation from the management and board members of the Heilbronn Ice Hockey Club. This shows the urgency and concern among ice hockey supporters in Heilbronn. The HEC is in discussions with other parties involved to find a viable solution and secure the future of ice hockey in the city.
However, the DEB gives the Heilbronner Falken the opportunity to appeal the non-admission decision to the gaming court. This deadline is two weeks, and many fans are hoping for a turnaround in their team's fortunes. There have been similar licensing problems in the past - for example with the Bayreuth Tigers, who had to be relegated to the Ice Hockey Oberliga Süd before the 2023/2024 season due to financial and organizational difficulties.
Sustainability in ice hockey
Overall, the future of ice hockey in Heilbronn remains uncertain. It is up to those involved to find a solution that preserves the city's sporting heritage while responding to the needs of the future. The coming time will show whether the Heilbronner Falken can overcome their licensing problems and what influence this will have on local ice hockey.
Further information on this topic can be found in the detailed reports from Icehockey.net, Rosenheim24 and Süddeutsche.de.