Favorite American Sports Rivalry

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Feel free to throw in your own write-ins on top of your vote as this is by no means an exhaustive list, but what rivalry of those listed is the most exciting for you?

With the exception of the first where I love both, I do have a side I love and a burning hatred for the other though that I don't know how many of you pick sides.

In hindsight, I probably should've included the Bruins instead, but too much Boston! There's other parts of this country to hate on!

Though I don't like the NFL very much, I think Packers-Bears is probably the best one. Even though the Packers are big rival with everyone in their division much like the Cowboys (and Steelers?), I always thought that game was most special. The twice a year nature in football tends to bother me a bit which makes the college ones quite close, but I just imagine GB/Chicago for a cold playoff game and historically, I think that's ever so slightly more exciting than when Michigan/OSU were 1-2 (or when Auburn beat Bama to go to the title instead). The NFL regular season means very little unfortunately, but on the big stage, that's the game I'd want to see. In Lambeau.

Outside of those three teams, the NFL has few good rivalries.

Lakers/Celtics clearly the worst imo. The NBA is way past its glory.

Personally, Lehigh-Lafayette has also been incredibly exciting for me. Unfortunately very underrated, but that might be my pick across all sports. The proximity of the metros really gets things going up there.

[rpryor03]

Yanks/Red Sox is great. But I much prefer Steelers/Browns.

[pikachu]

I think the NFC East rivalries are a lot of fun, and Eagles-Cowboys have had a lot of important games over the last few seasons. The Northeast in general is pretty nice for pro sports rivalries, if only because of proximity. (Except for the NBA, which doesn't have rivalries for some reason.) Guess I have to go with Auburn-Alabama for college rivalries, though it's hard for me to get past my biases.

[angus]

Yankees Red Sox.  Gotta love the "I hate the yankees" hanky.  I've probably been to more games at the green monster than any other field, although I've been to at least half of the major league parks.  I've always been a greater fan of the Yankees than the Red Sox, but I've only seen about five Yankees home games, and as sorry as it's built, I like the Fenway Park experience more.  As much as I like the rowdy fans and that Frank Sinatra song that they always play at the end of the game, the Bronx stadium is just a bit too large for that small-town feel that you get at the fenway. 

Actually, Yankees versus anybody else is a great rivalry--I always take a New York Yankees towel to the gym, even here in Southeastern Pennsylvania, because I know that no one will steal it--but the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry is special.  Mostly because it cuts both ways.  The Yankees fans seem to enjoy antagonizing the Boston players as much as the Boston fans enjoy antagonizing the New York players.  Of course, the Boston fans aren't quite as violent.  I never saw any broken glass being tossed onto the field in Boston, but I've seen it several times in New York.

[bagelman]

The yanks and the Red Sox are basically the same team. Historically it was good but it's ultra-rich snobby and loud New Yorkers vs. rich snobby Bostonites. I hate both teams.

[YPestis25]

I'd prefer Cubs and Cardinals, but I'll go with Yankees/Red Sox.

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Interesting to see all the comments saying Yankees/Red Sox - I am a die-hard Yankees fan first and foremost that despises the Red Sox, but I've always heard the complaint that outside this area, many either hate both and could care less. Interesting to hear that's not the case. The other problem I hear is that they play too much for it to be meaningful, but it always feels meaningful when you are playing Best of 3 or whatever.

I mostly agree with Angus, especially if you are talking about New YS which is trash while Fenway is a landmark. The old one came close but mostly during playoff time. The location is so atypical for old-time baseball.

Re: bagelman's complaint - I think you have the stereotypes reversed. It's mostly classy and elitist New Yorkers vs. uneducated Bostonians and those across the country that want to turn it into America's team. Is there anything more stereotypically racist than a Boston baseball fan? http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/08/a-trump-inspired-hate-crime-in-boston/401906/
 I don't mean this to be rude to all Bostonians as much as I like to despise the place, but it's pretty accurate. I feel the richer Bostonians might be football and hockey fans. (The Patriots have their fans too but in the same sense the Yankees do. It's not the loud New Yorkers or Bostonians there primarily.)

[Mr. Smith]

Yankees vs Red Sox, they are hilariously animated.

Dodger vs Giants would come in second, though unfortunately the Dodger base tend to just be boring pricks....and ultimately neither of them beat the A's anyway.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Lebron James vs who ever comes out of the West

[dead0man]

I hate both teams, but the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry from the 90s was very intense.  My favorite is Cubs-Cards, but that's so lopsided (actually the regular season numbers are close, Cubs may even have more wins, but post season success has all been in St Louis this century).

Of the ones listed, I guess Yankees-BoSox, but only because it's been shoved down our throats by East Coasty sports talking heads forever.

[Leinad]

Why no MLS?

-Seattle vs. Portland is huge and has been going on since the 70s, back when Harry Redknapp was a player.
-LA vs. San Jose has been big in MLS history (1996-). The two teams Landon Donovan played for.
-NY vs. DC has been pretty big as well.
-Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting KC is fairly new, but they certainly don't like each other.
-FC Dallas vs. Houston is another good one, but I'm biased to select it as an FC Dallas fan.

Now, I'll concede that rivalries like those you listed have been going on for longer and are more, well, "mainstream," but I still wanted to give MLS some love (it's possible I follow MLS closer than anyone else on the forum, so I feel a responsibility to do that).

[Green Line]

White Sox v Cubs, naturally
And we're winning that one

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Steelers/Ravens

/thread

[angus]

The yanks and the Red Sox are basically the same team. Historically it was good but it's ultra-rich snobby and loud New Yorkers vs. rich snobby Bostonites. I hate both teams.

I never got that impression.  I usually found myself seated next to decidedly blue-collar types at both of those stadiums. (stadia?)  "Go back ta Bostan, ya bum!" doesn't really strike me as a snob's battle cry.

It has been many years, though, since I've visited either of those parks.  These days, in the aftermath of the Credit Crunch of '08, perhaps the snobs are the only ones who can afford to see ballgames.

[dead0man]

It has been many years, though, since I've visited either of those parks.  These days, in the aftermath of the Credit Crunch of '08, perhaps the snobs are the only ones who can afford to see ballgames.

avg ticket prices 2015 by team
top 3
Red Sox-52.34
Yankees-51.55
Cubs-44.81
other playoff teams
Cards-34.20
Astros-31.82
Royals-29.76
MLB average ticket price-28.94
Dodgers-28.61
Mets-25.30
Blue Jays-25.14
Pirates-19.99
bottom 3
Braves-19.14
Diamondbacks-17.98
Padres-16.37

I'm impressed at how cheap the Mets and Dodgers are (of course Dodger fan doesn't show up until the 3rd and inning and is gone by the 8th, so they deserve the discount )  It would be interesting to see the ratio to team salary and ticket prices, but I'm not motivated enough.  But yes Angus, if it costs you 100+ bucks to get you and a buddy through the gate, I'm guessing it's mostly upper class folk going to games.  If I was a New Yorker I'd probably be a Mets fan just because I'm a cheap ass.

[Crumpets]

Seahawks - 49ers
UW - WSU
Sounders - Timbers
Reign - Thorns

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I miss the days when Phil posted here.  He'd put up the names of 2 soccer teams no one gives a sh**t about and he'd truly hate the other team.  RIP PHIL. 

[angus]

But yes Angus, if it costs you 100+ bucks to get you and a buddy through the gate, I'm guessing it's mostly upper class folk going to games.  If I was a New Yorker I'd probably be a Mets fan just because I'm a cheap ass.

That would be the case if it cost a hundred dollars, but it actually does not.  For example, you can get a nosebleed seat for 12 dollars at Fenway, and with certain cans of Coca-Cola on certain nights you can get it for 6 dollars.  At Yankee Stadium, I remember when you could get one for about 8 dollars.  It would be interesting if we had a "cheapest seats by stadium" chart to go along with the average seat chart.  My guess is that for some games you can still find a 15-dollar bleacher seat at NY.

I did notice that currently there are no cheap seats left at Yankee stadium.  The cheapest seat available for tomorrow's game against the Astros is around 54 dollars.  There are 21 still available at that price.  At the other end of the scale, there are still two Legends 24A seats available at $1479.00 each.

[dead0man]

Holy crap!  1500, for a BASEBALL game?!  Looked it up, right behind the visitors dug out.  I sat front row at a Cards game once, but probably 40 feet past the (home) dugout (had to pay attention to the game or else you could get hurt) and once, about 15 rows behind home plate*.  THOSE were nice seats.  Sat right behind 3 players wives.  Both those tickets were free from local doctors.  My mom was an RN and the docs all had season tickets and would hand them out to the nurses when they couldn't go sometimes.


*Rex Hudler was on the team at the time, always a fan favorite.  So I yelled "REX!" at him...he turned and looked right at me...why wouldn't he, I was like 35 feet away or something and yelling his name.....and I froze like a toddler caught with his hand where it shouldn't be.  He turned around, I sat down.  My friend was still laughing about it on the drive home.  Good times.

[JackV982]

My favorite sports rivalry is Army vs Navy, granted my dad went to West Point, so I'm biased.

[Untergang des Abendlandes]

Alabama/Auburn

[MadmanMotley]

Manning/Brady

[Хahar 🤔]

I only care about one of these, naturally.

Seahawks - 49ers

lol, not a thing anymore

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

UK v. UofL

[Antonio the Sixth]

Giants/Dodgers, I guess. Though it could get awkward considering my situation.