Kölner Haie were founded in 1972. In more than 40 years the club has developed into one of the most popular and powerful ice hockey brands in Germany and Europe. The club moved, in 1998, from its traditional ice rink "Eisstadion an der Lentstraße" into Lanxess Arena, which has a capacity of 18 500 spectators. A large fan base is responsible for an average attendance of 12 000 per game, placing the club consistently over the years in the top five in Europe. After 16 years of playing in Lanxess Arena, more than six million fans have passed the turnstiles to attend games played by Kölner Haie. Die Haie also have a very successful minor hockey program. In the team's 2013-14 roster there were four players on the pro team that played and developed in the club's minor hockey system.