Fußball-Regionalliga Bayern
 
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| Country |
 Germany
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|---|---|
| State |
 Bavaria
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| Confederation | Bavarian Football Association |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | Level 4 |
| Promotion to | 3. Liga |
| Relegation to | |
| Domestic cup(s) | Bavarian Cup |
| Current champions |
SpVgg Unterhaching (2016-17) |
 2016–17 Regionalliga Bayern
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The Regionalliga Bayern, (English: Regional league Bavaria), is the highest association football league in the state of Bavaria (German: Bayern) and the Bavarian football league system. It is one of five Regionalligas in German football, the fourth tier of the German football league system, below the 3. Liga.
The league was established at the end of the 2011–12 season and replaced the Regionalliga Süd at this level in Bavaria.
The German league system, having gone through its last adjustment in 2008, when the 3. Liga was established and the number of Regionalligas increased from two to three, required another adjustment in 2011. The reason for this was the large number of insolvencies on the fourth level, caused by high cost and infrastructure requirements while, at the same time, the clubs at this level complained about low incomes and little interest from TV broadcasters. Requirements like the fact that Regionalliga stadiums had to have at least 1,000 seats and a separate stand with separate entrance for away spectators were seen as causing too much of a financial strain on amateur clubs. Many clubs also struggled to cope with the 400-pages long license application, having to rely on volunteers rather than being able draw on permanent staff.
This led to Oberliga champions even, at times, declining their right for promotion to avoid the financial risk the Regionalliga meant to them, breaking with a basic principle of German football, that league champions would almost always be promoted.
In a special conference of the German Football Association, the DFB, in October 2010, 223 of 253 delegates voted for a reform of the league system on the fourth level. The number of Regionalligas was to be expanded to five, with the reestablishment of the Regionalliga Nordost, the formation of the Regionalliga Bayern and a shift of the Regionalliga Süd to the new Regionalliga Südwest.
The suggestion for the league reform had come from Bavaria, where, in a meeting of the Bavarian top-level amateur clubs at Wendelstein, the financial survival of the leagues and clubs in the current system was questioned. It resulted in the publication of what was called the Wendelsteiner Anstoß, which demanded a clear demarcation between professional football on the first three tiers of German football and amateur football below that. For this purpose, the paper also demanded the reestablishment of the German amateur football championship as an incentive and goal for top amateur clubs who did not want to turn professional.
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