For the 1996/97 season the HTC Uhlenhorst Mülheim moved from the southern group to the northern group. Because at the Bundestag 1995 it was decided that in future the clubs from north and west should play in the north group and the clubs from east and west in the south group. In the southern group there were therefore two promoted teams, the northern group played with nine teams this season, two of which had to be relegated.