Full name | RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V, RasenBallsport Leipzig GmbH |
---|---|
Nickname(s) |
Die Bullen (The Bulls) Die Roten Bullen (The Red Bulls) |
Short name | RBL |
Founded | 19 May 2009 |
Ground | Red Bull Arena |
Capacity | 42,959 |
Management board | Oliver Mintzlaff (chairman) Ulrich Wolter Johann Plenge |
Sporting director | Ralf Rangnick |
Coach | Ralph Hasenhüttl |
League | Bundesliga |
2015–16 | 2. Bundesliga, 2nd (promoted) |
Website | Club home page |
RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V., commonly known as RB Leipzig, is a German association football club based in Leipzig, Saxony. The club was founded in 2009 by initiative of energy drink-maker Red Bull GmbH who purchased the playing rights of the fifth division side SSV Markranstädt with the intention of advancing the new club to the top-flight Bundesliga within eight years. Men's professional football is run by the spin-off organization RasenballSport Leipzig GmbH. RB Leipzig plays its home matches at the Red Bull Arena.
In its inaugural season in 2009–10, RB Leipzig dominated the NOFV-Oberliga Süd (V) and was promoted as champions to the Regionalliga Nord (IV). RB Leipzig won the 2012–13 Regionalliga Nordost season without conceding a single defeat and was promoted to the 3. Liga (III), then finished the 2013–14 3. Liga season as runner-up and was promoted to the 2. Bundesliga (II) as the first team since the introduction of the 3. Liga to win promotion after only one season.
On 8 May 2016, Leipzig ensured promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2016–17 season with a 2–0 defeat of Karlsruher SC.
Before investing in Leipzig, Red Bull GmbH, led by co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz, searched three and a half years for a suitable location for an investment in German football. Besides Leipzig, the company also considered a location in West Germany and explored cities such as Hamburg, Munich and Düsseldorf.