The Koç Rams are an American football team in Istanbul, Turkey, which plays in the Turkish Gridiron Football First League. They also played in the 2022 season of the European League of Football (ELF), under the name Istanbul Rams.
 | |
| Established | 2004 |
|---|---|
| Based in |  Istanbul, Turkey |
| Home stadium | Maltepe Hasan Polat Stadium |
| League | Turkish Gridiron Football First League |
| Colors | Red, white |
History edit
The Rams belong to the Koç University Sports Club located on the campus of Koç University in Sarıyer, Istanbul. The team was founded in 2004.[1][2]
After promoting to the Turkish Superleague in 2013, the Rams have since made the Turkish Superleague Final game in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2016, they won their first Superleague Championship, defeating the Boğaziçi Sultans, 21–14. In addition, 2016 was their first year to compete in the IFAF Europe Champions League (a minor European competition held in 2014, 2015 and 2016). The Rams became the first Turkish team to ever win a Champions League game by knocking off the St. Petersburg Griffins of Russia.[3][4] Then they went on to defeat the reigning champions the Carlstad Crusaders in Sweden, to become the first Turkish team to accomplish a Final Four Champions League berth.[5] On the 21st of July that year, they participated in IFAF Champions League 2016 Final Four at Wrocław, Poland. They faced the Milano Seamen and lost 17–14 in the last second.[6]
On October 15, 2021, the Istanbul Rams were announced as new franchise of the European League of Football[7] and played the 2022 season.[8] After that season they returned to the Turkish League.
Stadium edit
The Rams played and practised at the Koç University. In ELF they will be playing their home games at Maltepe Hasan Polat Stadium in Maltepe, Istanbul.[9]
Honours edit
- Turkish American Football League
- Champions: (5) 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023
- Runners-up: (3) 2014, 2015, 2022
- Central European Football League
- Champions: (0)
- Runners-up: (1) 2018
References edit
- ^ "Club". Istanbul Rams. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ cefl (2019-04-20). "CEFL Teams: Istanbul Koç Rams Of Turkey » Central European Football League - CEFL". Central European Football League - CEFL. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ "LIVE STREAM: IFAF Europe CL; Istanbul Koç Rams v. St.Petersburg Griffins". American Football International. 2016-04-17. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ "Koç Rams, St. Petersburg Griffins'i Ezdi Geçti: 47-17". NFLTR.com - Türkçe Amerikan Futbolu Sitesi (in Turkish). 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ Kaplan, Batur (2016-05-07). "Koç Rams'in Carlstad Crusaders Zaferi". NFLTR.com - Türkçe Amerikan Futbolu Sitesi (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ "Istanbul Koc Rams".
- ^ "ELF Expansion: Koç Rams Istanbul join the European League of Football". American Football International. 2021-10-16. Retrieved 2021-10-16.
- ^ "New Franchise Announced: Koç Rams Istanbul". europeanleague.football. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
- ^ "HC and GM Val Gunn ready to professionalize Rams". europeanleague.football. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
External links edit
- Official website
- Istanbul Rams at the European League of Football official website