After a 33-year presence in the top tier of German volleyball, the Vilsbiburg volleyball team, known as the “Rote Raben,” will be leaving the Bundesliga, marking the end of their illustrious era. Despite intensive efforts to secure new sponsors and garner additional support through collaboration with political leaders at various levels, the attempts have not yielded positive outcomes. “After careful consideration and intense consultations, we had to make the decision to withdraw, taking into account our holistic responsibility for the club,” said Michael Ostermaier, spokesperson for the shareholders’ meeting. “As painful as this step is, and as much as we regret it emotionally, it seemed inevitable to us after a sober analysis of the situation and a serious assessment of the consequences.”
Since playing the Bundesliga from 2001 without interruption, the Vilsbiburg team celebrated significant successes, including winning the German Championship in 2008 and 2010, and securing the DVV Cup in 2009 and 2014. Although recent years did not bring additional titles, the team, playing in the smallest Bundesliga locale of Vilsbiburg with about 12,500 residents, consistently played a commendable role among clubs from major cities, regularly reaching the playoffs. Their most recent season ended in March with a passionate and spectacular “Best-of-three” series against the top-ranked team, Schwerin, resulting in their exit after two 1-3 losses.
The future, particularly concerning the highly acclaimed youth development work of the Volleyball Academy, raises questions. Currently, constructive discussions are underway about the details of the decision to withdraw from the Bundesliga and new perspectives for volleyball in Vilsbiburg. The Rote Raben will share further details about these discussions and their future plans during a press conference scheduled for Tuesday, April 16.
