Vienna Vikings

Vienna Vikings
Based in	Vienna, Austria
Stadium	Generali Arena Vienna (ELF) Wiener Neustadt ERGO Arena (ELF)
Established	1983
Division	Eastern Conference
Colors	Purple, gold, white   
Website	https://viennavikings.com/

Uniform of the Vienna Vikings football team in 2023.

The Vienna Vikings are an American football team based in Vienna, Austria, that plays in the European League of Football (ELF) since 2022

History

In September 2021 the Vienna Vikings were founded as a corporation and the announcement of their plans to participate in the European League of Football (ELF) was made officially during the halftime of the inaugural Championship Game in Duisburg.

The professional ELF Team uses the same nickname and practice facilities as the amateur team, the American Football & Cheerleading Club Vienna Vikings which was founded in 1983 and has been known as one of Europe's most dominant teams having won the Eurobowl title five times (2004–2007 and 2013), as well being the runner-up five times (2001, 2003, 2008, 2010 and 2012). In the national championship the AFC Vienna Vikings are holding the record of 15 Austrian Bowl victories.

Business lawyer and longtime quarterback in the Austrian Football League, Robin Lumsden stepped in as co-owner and investor.

In their first ELF season in 2022, they won the ELF outright.

2022 Season

In the 2022 season, the Vienna Vikings played at the Generali Arena. In the regular season, the Vikings won ten of their twelve games to secure first place in the Central Division. Prior to the semifinals, the Austria Wien soccer club withdrew its agreement to use the Generali Arena, so the game had to be played at the Ravelin Football Center in front of 900 spectators. The Vikings advanced to the final at Klagenfurt's Wörthersee Stadium with a 39-12 victory over the Barcelona Dragons. In the Championship Game, the Vikings secured the ELF championship with a 27-15 win over the Hamburg Sea Devils.

2023 Season

After quarterback Jackson Erdmann announced his retirement from active sports, the Vikings signed Chris Helbig from the Potsdam Royals as quarterback for the 2023 season. Otherwise, the roster remained largely unchanged. After the disagreements with Austria, the Vikings' home stadium remained unclear for a long time. Finally, the Generali-Arena was again announced as the venue for the first home game against the Prague Lions at the beginning of April. The remaining home games will took place at the Hohe Warte stadium.

Three games before the end of the regular season, the Vikings won the conference title again ahead of schedule and became the first team to secure home field in the 2023 play-offs. With 12:0 wins from the regular season, they then qualified directly for the semi-finals, where they hosted the Stuttgart Surge. The Vikings missed out on a return to the final after losing 33:40 at home.

The Vikings announced the departure of offensive coordinator John Shannon during the 2023 season. Austrian national team head coach Max Sommer was hired as a consultant and Calaycay took over the offensive playcalling. Sommer took over as offensive coordinator in November 2023.

2024 Season

In February 2024, the Vikings unveiled their new logo for the ELF team.

Stadium

Generali Arena

In the 2022 season, the Generali Arena was the home stadium of the Vikings. The stadium, where Austria Wien soccer club normally plays its matches, can accommodate up to 17,656 spectators. In the 2022 season, an average of 3,449 fans visited the stadium. Before the semi-final, Austria withdrew its consent to use the Generali Arena and the match had to be played at the Ravelin Football Center.

In the 2023 season, only the home opener against the Prague Lions was played in the Generali Arena for the time being. The semi-final against the Stuttgart Surge on June 17, 2023 was also played in the Generali Arena. There was a record crowd of 10,108 spectators.

In the 2024 season, the first home game will also be played in the Generali Arena. The guest will be Austrian rivals Raiders Tirol. The second home game against Berlin Thunder will also take place in the Austria Wien stadium.

Ravelin Football Center

The Ravelin football center has been the training center of AFC Vienna Vikings since 2007. Covering an area of 25,600 m², it has two permanently marked artificial turf football pitches, floodlights suitable for television and a grandstand for 888 spectators.

The ELF team played on the Ravelin twice. The 2022 semi-final took place in front of 900 spectators at the Ravelin after Austria Vienna withdrew its consent to use the Generali Arena. In the 2023 season, the last home game against the Fehervar Enthroners was played on the Ravelin.

Hohe Warte

The Hohe Warte stadium, also known as the "Heilige Warte" by fans, is the traditional home stadium of AFC Vienna Vikings. It has a capacity of 4,500 spectators. In the 2023 season, it was the main stadium of the ELF team.

Wiener Neustadt Arena

On April 2, 2024, the Vikings announced that they would play their remaining home games of the 2024 season at the Wiener Neustadt ERGO Arena, located in Wiener Neustadt, about 50 km south of the federal capital. Those four games will be against the Wroclaw Panthers, Helvetic Mercenaries, Prague Lions and Fehervar Enthroners. The stadium, normally the home ground of the local soccer team 1. Fortuna Wiener Neustädter SC, was completed in 2019, has natural grass and a capacity of 4,000 spectators.

Players

Top Players

Quarterback	Year	G	COMP	ATT	CMP%	YDS	TD	INT	SCK
Jackson Erdmann	2022	12	207	344	60.2	2849	26	13	26
Christopher Helbig	2023	11	175	277	63.2	2372	18	6	19

Receiver	Year	G	RRC	TGT	YDS	CTCH %	YPG	YPC	LNG	TD	TD/G
Jordan Bouah	2022-23	22	88	144	1334	61.1	60.6	15.2	90	12	0.5
Florian Bierbaumer	2022-23	14	48	65	772	73.8	55.1	16.1	45	8	0.6
Weston Carr	2023	9	31	51	636	60.8	70.7	20.5	61	5	0.6
Michael Breuler	2022	12	52	78	559	66.7	46.6	10.8	57	4	0.3

Running	Year	G	ATT	YDS	AVG	YPG	LNG	TD	TD/G	FMB	FML
Florian Wegan	2022-23	18	196	1087	5.5	60.4	59	10	0.6	2	1

2024 Roster

2024 Vienna Vikings roster

	Quarterbacks  3 Ben Holmes 🇺🇸 12 Alexander Reischl 🇦🇹 Running backs 20 Benjamin Liedlbauer 🇦🇹 24 Karri Pajarinen 🇫🇮  26 Noel Bernsteiner 🇦🇹 47 Daniel Schönet 🇦🇹 Wide receivers  4 Jordan Bouah 🇮🇹  10 Weston Carr 🇺🇸 11 Michael Schachermayr 🇦🇹 13 Raphael Komeyli-Birjandi WR 🇦🇹 14 Johannes Schütz 🇦🇹 18 Noah Touré 🇦🇹 84 Emil Eckerstorfer 🇦🇹 80 Toby Dvorak 🇦🇹 Tight ends 15 Rudi-Lee Frey 🇦🇹 85 Markus Schaberl 🇦🇹 89 Florian Bierbaumer 🇦🇹		Offensive linemen 51 Clemens Walz C 🇦🇹 56 Matthew Daltrey C 🇬🇧  58 Georg Marx 🇦🇹 61 Aleksandar Milanovic LT 🇦🇹 65 Mike Janda OT 🇦🇹 71 Lukas Holub RT 🇦🇹 72 Tony Koskinen 🇫🇮  77 David Rauter OT 🇦🇹 Defensive linemen 46 Vito Millauer DE 🇦🇹 52 Oskar Kranich DE 🇦🇹 90 Leo Misangumukini DE 🇦🇹 91 Bernhard Mosor DE 🇦🇹 94 Florian Grünsteidl DT 🇦🇹 95 Florian Sudi DT 🇦🇹 95 Maximilian Hradecny DT 🇦🇹 96 Marvin Wappl DT 🇦🇹 99 Maximilian Müllner DT 🇦🇹		Linebackers  1 Leon Balogh OLB 🇦🇹  5 Jan-Philipp Bombek 🇩🇪  28 Martin Wallensteiner 🇦🇹 33 Sebastian Ernst 🇦🇹 42 Moriz Elmauthaler ILB 🇦🇹 44 Leon Huber ILB 🇦🇹 45 Niki Terlitza ILB 🇦🇹 48 Noel Swancar LB 🇦🇹 49 Alex Watholowitsch ILB 🇦🇹 Defensive backs  7 Exavier Edwards S 🇺🇸  9 Hunter Nichols FS 🇺🇸 16 Benjamin Formann FS 🇦🇹 21 Leonhard Gerner CB 🇦🇹 22 Christoph Kellner CB 🇦🇹 23 Benjamin Straight S 🇦🇹 25 Linus Gantar CB 🇦🇹 26 Elmeri Laalo CB 🇫🇮  27 Nikolaus Huszar CB 🇦🇹 31 Tristan Smodics CB 🇦🇹 32 Luis Horvath FS 🇦🇹 36 Fabio Zvonimir Tartarotti S 🇦🇹   Florian Albrecht CB 🇦🇹 Special teams  2 Dennis Tasic K 🇦🇹 19 Oskar Herz K 🇦🇹				Rookies in italics Roster updated April 16, 2024 4 A-import, 6 E-import, 48 homegrown 58 active, 0 inactive

2023 Roster

2023 Vienna Vikings roster

	Quarterbacks  8 Chris Helbig {{{4}}} 🇺🇸 12 Alexander Reischl {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 Running backs  3 Florian Wegan {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 24 Karri Pajarinen {{{4}}} 🇫🇮 Wide receivers  4 Jordan Bouah {{{4}}} 🇮🇹  6 Radim Kalous {{{4}}} 🇨🇿 10 Weston Carr {{{4}}} 🇺🇸 11 Michael Schachermayr {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 14 Johannes Schütz {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 17 Philipp Dubravec {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 83 Flaviu Andrisan {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 84 Emil Eckerstorfer {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 Tight ends 15 Rudi-Lee Frey {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 47 Daniel Schönet {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 88 Moritz Schmahel {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 89 Florian Bierbaumer {{{4}}} 🇦🇹		Offensive linemen 51 Clemens Walz C {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 53 Florian Markus C {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 56 Matthew Daltrey C {{{4}}} 🇬🇧 61 Aleksandar Milanovic LT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 65 Mike Janda OT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 71 Lukas Holub RT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 77 David Rauter OT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 78 Robert Dragotinits OG {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 79 Benjamin Rab RG {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 Defensive linemen  9 Jamarcus Henderson {{{4}}} 🇺🇸 30 Marcel Kovarik DE {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 39 Valentin Leutgeb DE {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 46 Vito Millauer DE {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 52 Oskar Kranich DE {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 75 Daniel Pozarek DT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 90 Leonel Misangumukini DE {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 91 Bernhard Mosor DE {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 94 Florian Grünsteidl DT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 95 Florian Sudi DT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 96 Marvin Wappl DT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 99 Maximilian Müllner DT {{{4}}} 🇦🇹		Linebackers  1 Leon Balogh OLB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 33 Sebastian Ernst {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 41 Dustin Illetschko {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 44 Mattias Eriksson LB {{{4}}} 🇸🇪 45 Matthias Stadlmann {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 48 Noel Swancar LB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 49 Alex Watholowitsch ILB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 Defensive backs  7 Exavier Edwards S {{{4}}} 🇺🇸 13 Max Morawetz CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 20 Florian Jobst CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 21 Leonhard Gerner CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 22 Christoph Kellner CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 23 Benjamin Straight S {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 25 Linus Gantar CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 26 Elmeri Laalo CB {{{4}}} 🇫🇮 27 Nikolaus Huszar CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 32 Luis Horvath FS {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 36 Fabio Zvonimir Tartarotti S {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 37 Sebastian Wimmer CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 Special teams  2 Dennis Tasic {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 19 Oskar Herz {{{4}}} 🇦🇹				Reserve lists 40 Thomas Schnurrer ILB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 44 Leon Huber ILB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 42 Moriz Elmauthaler ILB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 Practice squad  5 Anton Wegan RB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 29 Kevin Wojta RB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 18 Raphael Komeyli-Birjandi WR {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 82 Florian Simsek WR {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 57 Michael Hinterwirth-Haider OG {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 28 Sebastian Schrenk CB {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 14 Caspar Prill K {{{4}}} 🇦🇹 Rookies in italics Roster updated 18 August 2023 4 A-import, 6 E-import, 48 homegrown 58 active, 8 inactive

Staff

Head Coaches

Name	Tenure	Record		Titles
		W	L
Chris Calaycay	2022-current	24	3	1

2024 Staff

2024 Vienna Vikings staff

	Front office Owners – Robin Lumsden, Constantin Burkheiser, Markus Kraetschmer, AFC Vienna Vikings e.V. General Manager – Lukas Leitner Communications & Player Personnel – Kiki Klepsch Sideline Management – Michaela Dvorak Football Operations – Lenard Oberladstätter Team Doctors – Albert Zich, Christian Gäbler Gameday Coordinators – Moritz Jadin, Oscar Burger Head coach Head coach – Chris Calaycay Assistant head coach – Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – Max Sommer Running backs – Marianne Pahkala Wide receivers/tight ends – Christoph Putz / Arnold Bürgmayr Offensive line – Thomas Tippold			Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/linebacker – Daniel Auböck Defensive line – Benjamin Sobotka Defensive backs – Christoph Putz Linebackers – Michael Hönig Special teams coaches Special teams coordinator – Marianne Pahkala Kicker – Sebastian Daum Strength and conditioning Head strength and conditioning – Marianne Pahkala Defensive Assistant - Max Plank, Matthias Mörth, Jochen Adler updated May 1, 2024

Total record

	Games	Win	Loss	Win %	P+	P-	PDiff
Vienna Vikings	27	24	3	0.889	865	456	+409

Record per oppenent

	Games	Win	Loss	Win %	P+	P-	PDiff
Prague Lions	2	2	0	1.000	124	30	+94
Leipzig Kings	2	2	0	1.000	94	28	+66
Istanbul Rams	2	2	0	1.000	86	22	+64
Raiders Tirol	4	4	0	1.000	105	56	+49
Barcelona Dragons	3	3	0	1.000	90	50	+40
Fehérvár Enthroners	2	2	0	1.000	62	32	+30
Hamburg Sea Devils	1	1	0	1.000	27	15	+12
Berlin Thunder	2	2	0	1.000	43	33	+10
Panthers Wrocław	4	3	1	0.750	80	85	-5
Stuttgart Surge	3	2	1	0.667	116	53	+63
Frankfurt Galaxy	2	1	1	0.500	38	52	-14

Source: https://elfdata.eu/