Frankfurt Syndicate

Frankfurt Syndicate is a German tournament paintball team established in 2001. Based in the Frankfurt region, the team became a leading competitor in the Deutsche Paintball Liga (DPL) and the Millennium Series Champions Paintball League (CPL).[1]

Frankfurt Syndicate won the 2009 Millennium Series Málaga Beach Cup, becoming the first German team to win an event in the European Champions Paintball League. The team finished third in the 2010 CPL season standings and won multiple German national championships.[1][2][3]

History

Formation and early competition (2001–2005)

Frankfurt Syndicate originated in 2001 from the combination of players from two German tournament teams, Braubach Templer and Cologne Predators.

According to a historical account published in June 2011, Patte Klein and Stefan Maiwald were involved in bringing together players from the two organisations to establish a competitive international roster.

Additional players from the professional team Magic Boys subsequently joined the programme.[1]

The new organisation initially competed in the Millennium Series Amateur A division and German national tournaments.

During the early 2000s, the team won German professional titles and progressed into international professional competition.[1]

European professional competition (2006–2008)

By 2006, Frankfurt Syndicate was competing in the Millennium Series Champions Paintball League, the highest division of the European tournament circuit.

The team was among four leading European squads invited to participate in the 2006 Intercontinental Cup at the PSP World Cup in Orlando, Florida.

At the tournament, Frankfurt Syndicate faced the Philadelphia Americans in the opening round, losing 5–0. The event also featured Boston Red Legion, Baltimore Trauma, Toulouse TonTons, Manchester Shockwave, Miami Raiders and Oslo Menace.[4]

Frankfurt Syndicate won the German Bundesliga championship in 2006 and again in 2008.[1][5]

In 2007, German paintball distributor MAXS became involved in the ownership and management of the team, providing organisational and financial support for its professional programme.

The team also concentrated its operations in the Frankfurt region, allowing players to train together more regularly.[1]

2009 Millennium Series victory

Frankfurt Syndicate achieved a major international victory during the 2009 Millennium Series season.

The team reached the final stages of the Málaga Beach Cup in Spain. However, adverse weather prevented the completion of the tournament.

The remaining matches were rescheduled to take place during the Millennium Series tournament in Paris on 3 July 2009.

Frankfurt Syndicate defeated SK Moscow in the semi-finals before beating London Nexus in the final.

The victory made Frankfurt Syndicate the first German team to win a Champions Paintball League tournament.[2][6]

The team also won the 2009 German Bundesliga championship, completing the national season undefeated. The DPL described the result as the organisation's third Bundesliga title.[3]

2010 Millennium Series season

Frankfurt Syndicate continued competing at the highest European level in 2010.

The team finished third at the Millennium Series European Masters in Bitburg, Germany, defeating Riga Chilli Peppers 5–4 in the third-place match after losing to San Diego Dynasty Impact in the semi-finals.[7]

The team ultimately finished third overall in the 2010 Champions Paintball League standings, behind San Diego Dynasty Impact and SK Moscow.[8]

American professional player Justin Rabackoff was among the players who represented Frankfurt Syndicate in European competition during 2010.[9]

The organisation also received coaching support from Russian professional player Kirill Prihidni during this period.[1]

Continued competition and development

Frankfurt Syndicate remained competitive in the Millennium Series during the early 2010s.

At the 2012 European Masters in Bitburg, the team reached the CPL final against San Diego Dynasty.

Dynasty won the championship match 5–1, leaving Frankfurt Syndicate in second place.[10]

The organisation also operated development programmes for younger players.

A junior squad known as Syndicate Kids was established in late 2010 and began competing in Germany's third Bundesliga division during 2011.[1]

Frankfurt Syndicate continued competing in German national and European professional tournaments during subsequent seasons.

Contemporary DPL reporting documents the team competing in the German first Bundesliga during 2015, including a 4–3 overtime victory against Offenbach Comin At Ya.[11]

The available records do not establish a definitive date on which the organisation ceased competition.

Selected tournament results

Year	Tournament or series	Division	Result
2006	German Bundesliga	Professional	1st [1]
2008	German Bundesliga	Professional	1st [5]
2009	Millennium Series Málaga Beach Cup	CPL	1st [2]
2009	German Bundesliga	Professional	1st [3]
2010	Millennium Series European Masters, Bitburg	CPL	3rd [7]
2010	Millennium Series season standings	CPL	3rd overall [8]
2012	Millennium Series European Masters, Bitburg	CPL	2nd [10]

Notable players and personnel

Documented personnel associated with Frankfurt Syndicate include:

Patte Klein – Involved in the organisation's formation in 2001.[1]
Stefan Maiwald – Involved in assembling the original competitive roster.[1]
Justin Rabackoff – American professional player who represented the team in the 2010 Millennium Series.[9]
Kirill Prihidni – Russian professional player who provided coaching support during the early 2010s.[1]
Nic Rippel – German player who progressed through the organisation's domestic and international competitive programme.[11]

References

External links

2006 Intercontinental Cup coverage, WARPIG