The Bavarian Cup, officially referred to as the Bayerischer Toto-Pokal for sponsorship reasons was established in 1998. Until 2009 it was contested by only eight clubs, and qualified through the seven annual regional cup competitions. Since 2009 the Bavarian Cup has been expanded to include 64 teams in the first round.[2]
The competition is open to all member clubs of the Bavarian Football Association except the clubs playing in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. Reserve teams are also barred from the competition. The Bavarian clubs from the 3. Liga and Regionalliga Bayern and the 24 District Cup (Kreispokale) winners qualified directly for the first round of the competition. The 98 clubs from the two divisions of the Bayernliga and the five divisions of the Landesliga Bayern entered the qualifying stage of the competition. It was the first occasion that so many clubs took part in the qualifying as, previous to 2012, the Bayernliga consisted of only one division and the Landesliga of only three. Clubs below the Landesliga had to take part in the Kreispokale to qualify.[4]
For the 2012–13 edition this meant the two Bavarian 3. Liga clubs, the fourteen Regionalliga Bayern clubs that were not reserve sides, the 24 Kreispokal winners and 24 clubs qualified through the two rounds of qualifying entered the first round of the Bavarian Cup.[4]
For the first two rounds of the Cup the draw was subdivided into five regional areas, for the round of sixteen in four regional areas. This arrangement reduced travel for the involved clubs and increased the likelihood of local derbies being drawn, like the Rosenheim derby in the first round or the Würzburg derby in the round of sixteen. From the quarter-finals onwards no regional subdivision was applied anymore. Clubs from lower divisions were always awarded home advantage in the draw. Should both clubs in a match be of the same division the team drawn first received home advantage. If a game was drawn after regular time no extra time was played. Instead a penalty shoot out followed to determine the winner.[4]
The winner of the 2012–13 Bavarian Cup was automatically qualified for the first round of the German Cup the following season. The second spot awarded to the Bavarian Football Association for the first round of the German Cup went to FV Illertissen, the best-placed non-reserve side in the Regionalliga Bayern. Should the same team have won the cup and finished as the best non-reserve side in the Regionalliga the second spot would have gone to the losing finalist.[4]
The final of the competition, in front of 1,800 spectators, saw a Regionalliga Bayern side playing a 3. Liga club with eventual winners TSV 1860 Rosenheim hosting SV Wacker Burghausen. The game ended 2–2 after regular time, with Rosenheim twice coming from behind. In the following penalty shoot out Rosenheim defeated Burghausen 4–3. It was the second cup win for Rosenheim who had previously won the 1999 edition, while, for SV Wacker Burghausen it was the fourth lost final in five seasons.[3][6]
Prize money
The BFV awarded prize money to all clubs participating in the 2012–13 edition with the winners Rosenheim receiving €5,000. The winner of the Bavarian Cup also received another €100,000 from the DFB for participating in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. Apart from this the club also received the gate receipts as all amateur clubs are guaranteed a home game for the first round.[6]
