The DEL Ice Hockey League (officially: Deutsche Eishockey Liga, PENNY DEL) has been the top tier of professional ice hockey in Germany since 1994. It replaced the former Ice Hockey Bundesliga and is operated as an independent league company. For media, agencies, brands, creators, NGOs, and education, the league offers consistently relevant material: game reports, background analysis, fan culture, and archive stories. IMAGO works with a worldwide network of partner photographers, agencies, and archives, providing clear licensing definitions and flexible access to current and historical image and video content.
IMAGO / Herrmann Agenturfotografie / Udo Herrmann | Sports pictures of the day The SAP Arena before the DEL game between Adler Mannheim and Red Bull Munich on 01.12.2024. On this Sunday evening, 9,921 spectators watched the game.
The DEL combines a regular season with subsequent playoffs. Series lengths and qualification rounds can vary by season format, but the core principle remains the same: steady coverage across the season, then an intensified finale. The league is legally independent yet embedded in Germany’s ice hockey system and maintains a sporting relationship with DEL2.
IMAGO / HMB-Media / Uwe Koch | Sports pictures of the day in the picture from left Tyler Madden (Straubing Tigers, 18), in attack. GER, Berlin, DEL, Ice Hockey Eisbaren Berlin vs Straubing Tigers, Season 2025 2026, at the UBER Arena, 26.09.2025.
With its debut in 1994/95, the modern professional era began. Adler Mannheim set notable streaks in the late 1990s, while EHC Red Bull Munich shaped the 2010s with multiple titles. In DEL history, Eisbären Berlin are regarded as record champions — a strong anchor for “Then & Now” formats. Another long‑running theme is the linkage with DEL2 through promotion and relegation, which fosters competitive permeability and location development. For newsrooms and creators, this supports evergreen formats from championship chronicles to city and derby stories.
IMAGO / Kicker / Liedel | Pavel Gross (left) and Mike Pellegrims (both from Mannheim) are German champions and celebrate with the trophy in men's ice hockey DEL.
The DEL connects traditional markets with modern arenas. Rivalries and derbies produce recurring narratives suitable for live tickers, matchday posts, Reels, and carousels. Complementary angles include profiles of coaches and playing styles, arena features, and series on jersey and logo histories.
IMAGO / Mario Stiehl | Alexander DOTZLER (25 Straubing Tigers) in a duel with Florian BUSCH (26 Eisbären Berlin) EHC Eisbären Berlin vs. Straubing Tigers 4th matchday main round DEL season 2015 16 - Location: Mercedes Benz Arena Berlin.
Core subjects: on‑ice action (face‑offs, saves, celebrations), coaching moments, fan culture and arenas, historical archives (title celebrations, portraits of legends).
Access options:
Beyond classic reporting, DEL visuals suit non‑editorial contexts such as sponsorship activations, corporate publishing, employer branding, event communications, point‑of‑sale, or Social Media campaigns. It is essential to define purpose, reach, and channels before image selection to license precisely and set up efficient workflows (approvals, layouts, formats).
The DEL Ice Hockey League provides continuously tellable stories — from regular season to playoffs, from derby narratives to club dynasties. Blogs, newsrooms, and Social Media benefit from recurring patterns and a rich history that lends itself to evergreen formats. IMAGO supports this with clear licensing definitions, flexible access (Webshop, Packages, Sales Manager), and a broad range of current and historical content — enabling reliable publications across all channels.
Principle: A license grants usage rights, not ownership; copyright remains with creators or agencies.
IMAGO webshop license models:
Standard disclaimer (EN): “Images are licensed for editorial use; commercial use requires a corresponding license and the client has to take care of third-party rights (non‑exclusive).”
Access routes: Webshop (single license), Webshop (credit packages valid for 365 days), and Sales Manager for individual agreements, volume, and support.