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The team's third jersey is in the club's official colours. The newly united team kept black-white-green as the club colours, but they chose to take to the field in red, giving the team the nickname Die Roten ("The Reds").
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Hannoverscher FC's colours were black-white-green, but they played in blue, while BV played in red. In 1913, they merged with Ballverein 1898 Hannovera (formed in the 1905 merger of Fußballverein Hannovera, 1898 Hannover, and Hannoverscher BV) to become Hannoverscher Sportverein 1896. Most of the membership of Germania 1902 Hannover became part of 96 in 1902, while others of the club formed Hannoverscher Ballspielverein. Their initial enthusiasm was for athletics and rugby football did not become their primary interest until 1899. The club was founded on 12 April 1896 as Hannoverscher Fußball-Club 1896, upon the suggestion of Ferdinand-Wilhelm Fricke, founder of the Deutscher FV 1878 Hannover. Hannover 96 has a long-standing rivalry with Eintracht Braunschweig. Hannover have won two German championships and one DFB-Pokal. Bundesliga, the second tier in the German football league system, having been relegated from the Bundesliga, Germany's first tier, after finishing 17th in the 2018–19 season. They played in the Bundesliga for a total of 30 years between 19 and currently play in the 2. Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 ( IPA: ), Hannover or simply 96, is a German professional football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony.
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