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Sports Rivalry




A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the Fan s. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the other that, in one case (the Football War ), was suggested to have led to military conflict. Team owners typically encourage rivialries as they tend to improve game attendance and Television Ratings for rivalry matches, but a rivalry that gets out of control can lead to Fighting , Hooliganism , and Riot ing.

Many factors can lead to a rivalry developing. Simple geographic proximity as well as frequent meetings in important games can lead to rivalries. Social and political tensions can also be played out by proxy in a sports rivalry, such as when Glasgow 's Sectarian Differences are expressed in the Celtic - Rangers Derby (known as the Old Firm derby), or when the Spanish - Catalan political conflict spills over to a Real Madrid - FC Barcelona football match (also known as El Clasico ). Rivalries of the friendlier sort are common between College Athletic Programs in the United States and often involve pranks that rival student bodies play on each other such as by stealing the other school's mascot or painting school colors somewhere on the opposing school's campus.

In some leagues rivalries are officially regarded as important games and the winner gets an unusual prize (i.e. Grill , Trophy , High-definition Television , El Capitan , etc.)


FAMOUS SPORTS RIVALRIES



Original




Baseball


Major League Baseball

New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals


''See List Of Major League Baseball Rivalries ''


Rest of the world



National Football League




Basketball


National Basketball Association




Rest of the World



International



Tennis



Ice hockey


National Hockey League




European leagues

See Also: List of ice hockey leagues
City rivalry in Finland



International



College athletics




Arena football



Canadian football



Association football (soccer)




Curling


Club rivalries


  • Randy Ferbey vs. Kevin Martin - Both these curlers have been considered the best in the world, and are from the same city (Edmonton)



Cricket



Rugby League


National Rugby League



State Of Origin



European Super League



Rugby Union


Test Matches



Super Rugby




Guinness Premiership



Top 14



Currie Cup



Air New Zealand Cup



The Varsity Match



Formula 1



NASCAR



Australian Football League


Traditional Rivals


  • Hawthorn v Essendon






Local Derbies




More Recent Rivals












State Of Origin




Past Rivals


  • Collingwood v Fitzroy (Fitzroy Merged with Brisbane Bears to from Brisbane Lions in 1996)



SEE ALSO



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