The 1972--73 season saw two new clubs in the league, BFC Preussen and Rot-Weiß Neukölln, both promoted from the Amateurliga, while no club had been relegated from the Bundesliga to the league.
The 1972--73 season saw three new clubs in the league, 1. FC Mülheim and Sportfreunde Siegen, both promoted from the Verbandsliga, while Arminia Bielefeld been relegated from the Bundesliga to the league.