The 1st Bundesliga starts with ten teams. Each team meets every other team in the first and second leg. There are two points for a win and one point for a draw. In the event of a tie at the end of the main round, the direct comparison decides on the ranking. The first four teams reach the play-offs. The teams in ranks five to nine have qualified for the next season. The bottom of the table is relegated directly to the 2nd Bundesliga. There is no relegation this season, as the Bundesliga will be increased to twelve teams for the 1999 season. The winner of the play-offs is German champions.
Preliminary round
team
Sp
S.
U
N
Gates
+/-
P
1.
Crash Eagles Kaarst
18th
14th
3
01
162: 071
+ 091
31
2.
Dusseldorf Rams
18th
12
4th
02
170: 066
+104
28
3.
Duisburg Ducks
18th
13
2
03
159: 085
+ 074
28
4th
SU Augsburg
18th
10
2
06th
121: 076
+ 045
22nd
5.
Mosquitoes eat
18th
07th
3
08th
107: 114
- 7th00
17th
6th
Bullskater Düsseldorf
18th
08th
0
10
120: 131
- 011
16
7th
HC Cologne-West
18th
07th
1
10
111: 120
- 900
15th
8th.
Lucifer Kiel
18th
05
2
11
072: 137
- 065
12
9.
SU Coeln
18th
05
1
12
086: 127
- 041
11
10.
Bochum Lakers
18th
00
0
18th
061: 243
−182
00
Abbreviations: Sp = games, S = wins, U = draws, N = defeats, P = points Explanations: