# Bratislava Monarchs

The Bratislava Monarchs are an American football team from Bratislava, Slovakia, established in 1996. In 2023, the Monarchs are competing in the Czech League of American Football.

## History
### Establishment

The interest in American football in Slovakia grew rapidly after the first television broadcasts of the National Football League season in 1993. The first meetings of several people who threw football began in the summer of 1994 in Bratislava. The number of new players each week increased, and at the end of the year was over 30 people. The club was officially founded on April 1, 1996, and was the very first American football club in Slovakia. Shortly thereafter, all major cities in Slovakia started with the establishment of new clubs.
The first game of the Monarchs was played in the spring of 2004 with helmets and shoulder pads, against the Kragujevac Wild Boars, which they won. During 2008, the Monarchs played in the Central European Football League, where they competed against the CNC Gladiators from Austria, Budapest Wolves and Budapest Cowboys from Hungary, Ljubljana Silverhawks from Slovenia, Belgrade Vukovi and Novi Sad Dukes from Serbia, and Zagreb Thunder from Croatia.

### 2011: Bratislava's first major title

The First league game in Slovakia was played in 2011 and 5 teams competed that year. This league was played with necessary equipment, pads and helmets. The final game of the Slovak Football League was played on August 6, 2011, at the ŠKP Štadión, where they defeated the Nitra Knights, 21-6.

### 2012: Bratislava's second major title

The 2012 season is well started for the Monarchs, where the opponents have been falling in the order in the Slovak Football League. The Monarchs won again in the Slovak Football League finals against the Trnava Bulldogs, 38-31. Their previous opponents, the Nitra Knights, finished third.

### 2013–2014: Bratislava's Bronze Medal and Fourth Place Finish

The Monarchs have started the season with a preseason game Danube Dragons, and lost in an exciting finish 30-27. The Season continues with games in the Slovak Football League, where they finished 3rd, in which the Smolenice Eagles beat the Nitra Knights.
Despite a successful start of the 2014 Slovak Football League season, the Monarchs failed to make to the Slovak Football League finals, where the Smolenice Eagles beat the Žilina Warriors, and the Zvolen Patriots, the team that the Monarchs defeated them, emerged as the bronze medalists.

### 2015: The Cinderella year of the Monarchs

The Monarchs entered the 2015 Slovak Football League season with their new head coach, Christoph Dreyer. The Monarchs finally fulfilled their Cinderella story when they won their third Slovak Football League title after defeating the Trnava Bulldogs, 48-26. The Monarchs also became the first team outside Hungary to win the Hungarian Football League by beating the Budapest Wolves.

## Season Stats
### Slovak Bowl Results

| Slovak Football League | Champion | Opponent | Result |
| 2011 - Slovak Bowl I | Bratislava Monarchs | Nitra Knights | 21-6 |
| 2012 - Slovak Bowl II | Bratislava Monarchs | Trnava Bulldogs | 38-31 |
| 2015 - Slovak Bowl V | Bratislava Monarchs | Trnava Bulldogs | 48-26 |

### Hungarian Bowl Results

| Hungarian Bowl | Champion | Opponent | Result |
| 2015 - Hungarian Bowl IX | Bratislava Monarchs | Budapest Wolves | 55–34 |

## Honours

* Slovak Bowl
** Champions: (3) 2015, 2017, 2019
* Hungarian Bowl
** Champions: (1) 2015
* Silver Bowl (2nd tier level)
** Champions: (1) 2017