One reason for the hype is the league’s contingent of “sleeping giants”—once-mighty, heavily supported clubs that now languish in the lower reaches. This year’s crop contains the likes of Hertha Berlin, FC Köln and FC Schalke 04, all of which have won major trophies, including German championships. Hamburger SV, another second-division behemoth, boasts a European Cup. These clubs retain many markers of their past glories, such as huge fan bases and stadiums fit to grace a top division. But thanks to factors such as financial mismanagement, shoddy coaching and plain bad luck they are missing something crucial: success on the pitch.