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Vienna Vikings

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Vienna Vikings
Team logo
Founded1983; 41 years ago (1983)
Based inAustria Vienna, Austria
Home stadiumGenerali Arena Vienna (ELF)
Football-Zentrum Ravelin (AFL)
Head coachChris Calaycay
LeagueEuropean League of Football
Austrian Football League
DivisionEastern Conference
ColorsPurple, gold, white
     
League titlesELF: 2022
AFL: 1994, 1996, 1999–2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012–2014, 2017, 2020
Eurobowl: 2004–2007, 2013
Websiteviennavikings.com
Current sports event2023 Vienna Vikings season

The Vienna Vikings is a professional American football club based in Vienna, Austria. Founded in 1983, the Vikings are known as one of Europe's most dominant clubs, having won the Eurobowl title five times (2004–2007 and 2013), as well as being the runner-up five times (2001, 2003, 2008, 2010 and 2012). In the national championship, the Vikings hold the record of 15 Austrian Bowl victories. Since the 2022 season, they’ve been members of the European League of Football and under the name Dacia Vienna Vikings. They are also still part of the Austrian Football League (AFL).

History

The Vikings were founded in 1983. Three years later, the Vikings made it to the Austrian Bowl, the Austrian championship game, where they fell short against the Graz Giants. In 1994, the Vikings won their first national championship and repeated the victory two years later. In 1999, the Vikings played their eighth Austrian Bowl, all of them against the Giants, and gained their third title. It was also their first of five consecutive Austrian Bowl wins. Until 2007 the Vikings made it always to the Austrian Bowl and collected two more national titles becoming the team with the record number of 10 Austrian Bowl wins. From 2012 to 2017 the Vikings won four more national titles.

After also competing in the European Football League for many years, the club took part in a new European competition from 2014 to 2018 the BIG6 European Football League.[1]

Naming rights

  • 1983–1998: Vienna Vikings
  • 1999–2005: Chrysler Vikings
  • 2006–2007: Dodge Vikings Vienna
  • 2008–2014: Raiffeisen Vikings Vienna
  • 2015–2016: Vienna Vikings
  • 2017– Dacia Vienna Vikings

Notable persons

European League of Football

On September 25, 2021 the Vienna Vikings announced their that their first team will compete in the 2022 European League of Football season together with their league rival Tyrolean Raiders[2][3][4][5][6] The coaching staff of the former AFL team will continue coaching the ELF team. The franchise, now being a private corporation as a GesmbH, is owned by the Voluntary association. Together with its rivals Raiders Tirol the Vikings play in the Central Conference of the ELF. The participation allows the signing of up to 6 European foreign players and 4 US-American, Canadian, Mexican or Japanese players.

At the start of the 2022 season, business lawyer and long-time Austrian Football League quarterback Robin Lumsden joined as co-owner and investor.[7] On February 17, 2022 the organisations announced that all home games in the ELF season will be played at the Generali Arena Vienna.[8]

Roster

Reference[9]

Vienna Vikings roster
Quarterbacks
  •  8 Chris Helbig
United States
  • 12 Alexander Reischl
Austria

Running backs

  • 24 Karri Pajarinen
Finland
  •  5 Anton Wegan
Austria
  •  3 Florian Wegan
Austria
  • 29 Kevin Wojta
Austria

Wide receivers

  • 83 Flaviu Andrisan
Austria
Italy
  • 10 Weston Carr
United States
  • 17 Philipp Dubravec
Austria
  • 83 Emil Eckerstorfer
Austria
  •  6 Radim Kalous
Czech Republic
  • 18 Raphael Komeyli
Austria
  • 11 Michael Schachermayr
Austria
  • 14 Johannes Schültz
Austria
  • 82 Florian Simsik
Austria

Tight ends

  • 89 Florian Bierbaumer
Austria
  • 15 Rudi-Lee Frey
Austria
  • 88 Mortiz Schmahel
Austria
  • 88 Daniel Schönet
Austria
Offensive linemen
  • 56 Matthew Daltrey C
United Kingdom
  • 78 Robert Dragotinits T
Austria
  • 57 Michael Haider T
Austria
  • 71 Lukas Holub T
Austria
  • 65 Mike Janda G
Austria
  • 53 Florian Markus G
Austria
  • 61 Aleksandar Milanovic T
Austria
  • 79 Benjamin Rab G
Austria
  • 77 David Rauter G
Austria
  • 51 Clemens Walz G
Austria

Defensive linemen

  •  9 Jamarcus Henderson DE
United States
  • 94 Florian Grünsteidl DE
Austria
  • 52 Oskar Kranich DE
Austria
  • 90 Leo Misangumukini DE
Austria
  • 91 Bernhard Mosor DT
Austria
  • 99 Maximilian Müllner DT
Austria
  • 75 Daniel Pozarek DT
Austria
  • 95 Florian Sudi DT
Austria
  • 96 Marvin Wappl DT
Austria
Linebackers
  • 42 Moritz Elmauthaler ILB
Austria
  • 44 Matthias Eriksson
Sweden
  • 33 Sebastian Ernst
Austria
  • 44 Leon Huber ILB
Austria
  • 41 Dustin Illetschko ILB
Austria
  • 30 Marcel Kovarik ILB
Austria
  • 39 Valentine Leutgeb
Austria
  • 40 Thomas Schnurrer ILB
Austria
  • 45 Matthias Stadlmann ILB
Austria
  • 48 Noah Swancar ILB
Austria
  • 49 Alex Watholowitsch ILB
Austria

Defensive backs

  •  7 Exavier Edwards S
United States
  • 25 Linus Ganter CB
Austria
  • 21 Leonhard Gerner CB
Austria
  • 32 Luis Horvath S
Austria
  • 27 Nikolaus Huszar CB
Austria
  • 20 Florian Jobst CB
Austria
  • 22 Christoph Kellner CB
Austria
  • 26 Elmeri Laalo CB
Finland
  • 25 Max Morawetz CB
Austria
  • 28 Sebastian Schrenk CB
Austria
  • 23 Benjamin Straight S
Austria
  • 36 Fabio Zvonimir Tartarotti CB
Austria
  • 37 Sebastian Wimmer CB
Austria

Special teams

  • 19 Oskar Hertz
Austria
  • 14 Caspar Prill
Austria
  •  2 Dennis Tasic
Hungary


Rookies in italics
Roster updated 21 November 2023
4 A-import, 7 E-import, 56 homegrown
66 active

Staff

Vienna Vikings staff

Front office

  • Owners – Constantin Burkheiser, Markus Kraetschmer,
    Robin Lumsden, AFC Dacia Vienna Vikings e.V.
  • President – Karl Wurm
  • Vice president – Michael Holub
  • General Manager – Lukas Leitner

Head coach

  • Head coach – Chris Calaycay
  • Assistant head coach – Benjamin Sobotka

Offensive coaches

  • Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – John Shannon
  • Running backs – Marianne Pahkala
  • Wide receivers/tight ends – n/a
  • Offensive line – Thomas Tippold
 

Defensive coaches

  • Defensive coordinator/linebacker – Daniel Auböck
  • Defensive line – Benjamin Sobotka
  • Defensive backs – n/a

Special teams coaches

  • Special teams coordinator – n/a


Strength and conditioning

  • Head strength and conditioning – Marianne Pahkala


updated 23 March 2023

Season-by-season

Season Head coach Regular season Postseason Result Ø Attendance
GP Won Lost Win % Finish GP Won Lost Win %
2022 Chris Calaycay 12 10 2 .833 1st (Central) 2 2 0 1. Won Championship Game 3,085
2023 Chris Calaycay 0 0 0 .000 (Eastern) 0 0 0 .000
"Blue River Bowl III": Danube Dragons vs. Vikings at Rattenfängerstadion in Korneuburg, 2010

Honours

  • European League of Football
  • Eurobowl
    • Champions: (5) 2004–2007, 2013
    • Runners-up: (5) 2001, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2012
  • Austrian Bowl
    • Champions: (15) 1994, 1996, 1999–2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2012–2014, 2017, 2020
    • Runners-up: (14) 1986, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021–2023

References

  1. ^ "BIG6 European Football League starts 2014". www.eurobowl.com. 20 November 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  2. ^ "ELF: Dacia Vienna Vikings become the league's newest member". 25 September 2021.
  3. ^ "PR: Ninth Team, Fourth Nation: Vienna Vikings Will Start in the European League of Football for the 2022 Season". 25 September 2021.
  4. ^ "Vienna Vikings ab 2022 Teil der European League of Football". 30 September 2021.
  5. ^ https://news.in-24.com/sports/news/168498.html [dead link]
  6. ^ "Der Krampf ums Eierlaberl: Warum sich Football in Europa schwertut". Der Standard (in German). October 4, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  7. ^ "Vienna Vikings present new investors with interesting background". May 12, 2022.
  8. ^ "Vikings sorgen für internationale Spiele in der Generali Arena". Kurier (in German). February 17, 2022.
  9. ^ "ELF: 2023 Vienna Vikings – A Complete Roster Breakdown". American Football International.