Klaus-Peter Jebens became the owner of the Hamburg Crocodiles, with the intent to have it play in a planned new arena in the city. He came close to achieving this, but his plans did not come to fruition after DEL shareholders barred him from purchasing a license from the financially struggling Star Bulls Rosenheim.

Hockey moved to Hamburg in 2002. Philip Anschutz joined forces with Finnish entrepreneur Harry Harkimo, the owner of Jokerit, who had outbid Jebens to build a new arena in Hamburg in 2000. Anschutz relocated the successful but financially struggling München Barons and renamed it the Hamburg Freezers. Jebens had previously been in talks with Anschutz, in hopes of cooperating with the Crocodiles and the arena project. Likewise, Harkimo had previously been in talks Jebens, but they could not come to agreement about the project.

Top flight hockey left Hamburg in 2016. The Freezers ceased operations that year, leaving Hamburg without a team in DEL. Harkimo's involvement in the project came to an end in 2007. He sold the arena to Anschutz that year.