Oberliga The Oberliga ( English : " Premier League " ) is currently the third tier of ice hockey in Germany . In the 2007 - 08 season , the " Oberliga " is split in a northern and a southern group . History . 1948 - 58 . The ice hockey " Oberliga " is the oldest continuously operating league in this sport in Germany . The league was formed in 1948 , then as the highest level of play in the country . It started out with six teams who played a home - and - away season to determined the German champion . The founding members were : The league expanded to eight clubs for the second season and twelve in the third . From 1952 onwards the league operated with eight clubs again . The 1957 - 58 season was the last one for the league as highest level of play in the country . It was decided to form the " Eishockey Bundesliga " . The best eight clubs from the " Oberliga " , which now operated with twelve clubs again , qualified for the new first division . 1958 - 73 . The " Oberliga " remained in existence however , now as the second tier of German ice hockey . Starting out with eight clubs in the league again , it expanded to twelve in the coming seasons . The year 1966 saw the league split into a northern and a southern group . The two separate leagues were called " Oberliga Süd " and " Oberliga Nord " . The winners of the two divisions would determined the " Oberliga " champion in a home - and - away series . The league reunited in a single division in 1970 , now with a strength of 16 teams and direct promotion to the " Bundesliga " . The 1972 - 73 season was the last one as a tier two league . With the foundation of the " 2nd Bundesliga " , the " Oberliga " fell to tier three . While the league champion moved up to the " Bundesliga " and the teams placed two to nine gained entry to the new second division only the bottom seven clubs remained in the league . 1973 - 94 . The " Oberliga " was now again divided into a northern and a southern group . The top two teams out of the two divisions originally played out a promotion round to the " 2nd Bundesliga " which also served to determined the " Oberliga " champion . While the modus and number of teams in the league continued to fluctuat , the overall situation remained the same . 1994 - 99 . The year 1994 saw major changes in the German league system . The " Bundesliga " and " 2nd Bundesliga " merged to form the new " DEL " , an independently run league consisting of 18 clubs in its foundation years . Those second division clubs that did not elect to join the " DEL " were integrated into the new " 1st Liga " , which had replaced the " Oberliga " and operated in a northern and a southern group . The best teams of each of the two divisions played out a " DEB " championship , similar to the old " Oberliga " championship . The 1998 - 99 season was very much a transition season . The " DEB " had reintroduced a single - division , nation wide league , titled " Bundesliga " to compete with the " DEL " . The league below was now the " 1st Liga " , which was made up of those clubs from the " 1st Liga " not admitted to the new " Bundesliga " and " 2nd Liga " clubs . However , this situation existed for only one season . 1999 - present . From 1999 , the league returned to its traditional name " Oberliga " , with two regional groups , north and south . In turn , the league above it took the name " 2nd Bundesliga " . " The " DEL " renamed itself " DEL - Bundesliga " . Due to a lack of interest , the " Oberliga Nord " dissolved after the 2000 - 01 season . The three clubs from this region which were still interested in playing on " Oberliga " level joined the southern division . The " Oberliga Süd " , largely made up of Bavarian clubs , continued to operate successfully in the coming season , usually including a couple of northern clubs , while the " Oberliga Nord " was not reestablished until 2007 . The " ESBG " , now operating the " 2nd Bundesliga " and " Oberliga " for the " DEB " decided to reform an " Oberliga Nord " in 2007 . The two separate divisions of the league were however not completely independent of each other , like in the past . Teams from the same league would meet each other four times now , while clubs from different divisions would only meet twice in the regular season . At the end of this , a combined play - off round would determined the " Oberliga " champion . The " ESBG " plans to extend the league from 19 to 20 clubs for the 2008 - 09 season , to run two regional divisions of ten clubs . Season 2007 - 08 . The " Oberliga " was split into a northern and a southern group for the first time in years . The northern group contains nine , the southern ten clubs . The four best placed teams from each group will be entering a best - of - five play - off round to determind the " Oberliga " champion and the two promoted teams to the " 2nd Bundesliga " . The bottom four in each group enter a play - down round to determind the relegated teams . See Also . List of Oberliga seasons