Orli Znojmo is a Czech-based club playing in the international Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL). The club started its rise to the top ranks in 1990s and got promoted twice within three years to reach the Czech Extraliga in 1999. Znojmo played in the top division of Czech hockey for 10 years, reaching the semi-finals in the 2005-06 season. Due to economic problems, the club's Extraliga license was sold to Brno in 2009. A new company was then formed and the club continued in the Czech second division for two seasons, building up a core of promising young players and winning the Czech U20 title in 2011. In the summer of the same year, "the Eagles" took the opportunity and became the first-ever Czech team to join an international competition: the Austrian-based EBEL. Spectator and media interest soared and has been increasing ever since. Results on the ice have also gradually improved, culminating in the 2015-16 season, where they finished 2nd in the regular season and reached the league finals to qualify for the Champions Hockey League.