Munich Barons
The Munich Barons were an ice hockey team situated in Munich, Germany. The club existed from 1999 to 2002 and was run by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG).
After long negotiations among the Anschutz Group, the ice hockey teams Landshut Cannibals, ESC Munich and the Olympiapark Munich GmbH, the creation of the Munich Ice Hockey Club GmbH was announced on June 1, 1999. The license for the DEL was transferred over from the debt-ridden Landshut Cannibals. The team played its home games in the Olympia-Eisstadion. The name and logo of the Barons were unveiled in the middle of June of that year.
The Barons spent all three of their seasons in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, winning the championship in their inaugural 1999-2000 campaign. They finished as runners-up in 2001 and reached the semifinals in 2002.
Despite the club's success, it suffered from financial issues and low attendance. The Barons averaged under 3,000 fans a game in their championship winning 2000 season.
On June 3, 2002, the Munich Barons were relocated to Hamburg and became known as the Hamburg Freezers.