List of sports rivalries


A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes, affecting participants, management, and supporters all to varying degrees.
The intensity of the rivalry can range anywhere from a light hearted banter to serious violence. A rivalry that gets out of control can lead to fighting, hooliganism, rioting and some instances with career-ending and even fatal consequences. In "The football war", along with other factors, it was suggested to have been the tipping point in leading to military conflicts.
Owners have been known to encourage rivalries as they tend to improve game attendance and television ratings for rivalry matches. Clubs can reduce fan aggression surrounding rivalry games by acknowledging rather than downplaying the conflict because the rivalry is an integral part of fan identity.
Games between two rivals that are based in areas of close geographical proximity are often known as a local derby, or simply just a derby ; a sporting event between two teams from the same town, city or region. The term is usually connected with association football and the media and supporters will often refer to this fixture as Derby Day.
derby in Glasgow, Scotland.
The term "derby" possibly originated from The Derby, a horse race in England, founded by the 12th Earl of Derby in 1780. The 19th Earl has since claimed the Derby name was originally only given to one other sporting event: Rugby league fixtures between St Helens at one end of the family's Knowsley estate and Wigan at the other.
The other theory as to the name's origin involves Shrovetide football, an early, unofficiated version of both association and rugby football. It was first played in the town of Derby prior to Medieval times. From as early as the 12th century it was known to have been played in Ashbourne. It was a chaotic and exuberant affair that involved the whole town, often resulting in fatalities. The goals were at Nuns Mill in the north and the Gallows Balk in the south of the town, and much of the action took place in the River Derwent or the Markeaton Brook. Nominally the players came from All Saints' and St Peter's parishes, but in practice the game was a with as many as 1,000 players. A Frenchman who observed a match in 1829 wrote in horror, 'if Englishmen call this play, it would be impossible to say what they call fighting'. Shrovetide football is still an annual event in the town of Ashbourne.
Since at least as early as 1840 'derby' has been used as a noun in English to denote any kind of sporting contest. Other names for derbies include Clásicos in certain parts of the world and crosstown rivalries in the United States.
Rivalries do not always stem from the sharing of an area. Hostilities can occur for different reasons, such as in the case of El Clásico with tensions between fans with a background of historically cultural and political differences. Frequent meetings in important games between teams can also lead to unpleasantries.

International rivalries

Athletics

Individual

Team

Australian rules football

Badminton

Bandy

In Swedish bandy, derby games are often played on Saint Stephen's Day.

Baseball

Dominican Republic

Dominican Professional Baseball League

Nippon Professional Baseball

Mexican Baseball League

Major League Baseball

Minor League Baseball

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

Australia

Russia

United States and Canada

National Basketball Association

Individuals

Turkey

Bodybuilding

1st party2nd partyTimespanArticleSource
Arnold SchwarzeneggerSergio Oliva—

Boxing

Individual

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Sugar Ray Robinson Jake LaMotta1942-1951
Muhammad Ali Joe Frazier1971–1975Fight of the Century
Ali-Frazier II
Thrilla in Manila
Sugar Ray Leonard Roberto Durán1980–1989The No Mas Fight
Manny Pacquiao Juan Manuel Márquez2004–2012Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Márquez III
Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Márquez IV
Marco Antonio Barrera Érik Morales2000–2004Barrera vs. Morales trilogy
Érik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera
Érik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera II
Érik Morales vs. Marco Antonio Barrera III

Team

Chess

College sport

Cricket

International

Domestic

[Cue sports]

Curling

[Cycling]

[Darts]

Diving">Diving (sport)">Diving

Esports">ESports">Esports

[Field hockey]

[Figure skating]

[Golf]

[Gridiron football]

[American football]

[National Football League]

Individual

[College football]

Mexico

ONEFA/CONADEIP

Canada

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Hamilton Tiger-CatsToronto Argonauts1873–presentHarold Ballard Trophy
Winnipeg Blue BombersSaskatchewan Roughriders1936–presentBanjo Bowl
Edmonton Football TeamCalgary Stampeders1949–presentBattle of Alberta

[Gymnastics]

Handball">Team Handball">Handball

Austria

Portugal

[Ice hockey]

Multinational

[Kontinental Hockey League]

North America

[National Hockey League]

[ECHL]

Austria

Romania

International

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'		1954, but especially after 1972, to presentSummit Series
2008 IIHF World Championship Final
1920–presentCanada–United States rivalry
1990–presentCanada–United States women's rivalry
1973–presentCanada–United States junior rivalry

'
1954, but especially after 1968, to present1998 Winter Olympics gold medal game
2010 IIHF World Championship Final
1994–presentCzech Republic–Slovakia rivalry
1932–present—

Individual

Lacrosse

Luge

[Martial arts]

[Lethwei]

[Mixed martial arts]

[Judo]

[Sumo]

Motorsport

Manufacturers, cars, teams

Drivers and riders

Mountaineering and rock climbing

[Netball]

[Rugby league]

Australia

National Rugby League

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Brisbane BroncosNorth Queensland Cowboys1995 to presentQueensland derby
Brisbane BroncosGold Coast Titans2007 to presentSouth East Queensland derby
Canberra RaidersWests Tigers1989 to present
Canterbury Bankstown BulldogsParramatta Eels1970s to present
Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesWests Tigers1970s to present
Melbourne StormSt George Illawarra Dragons1999 to present
Melbourne StormManly-Warringah Sea Eagles2007 to presentManly-Melbourne NRL rivalry
Melbourne StormCronulla-Sutherland Sharks2016 to present
Melbourne StormBrisbane Broncos2003 to present
Newcastle KnightsManly-Warringah Sea Eagles1988 to present
South Sydney RabbitohsSydney Roosters1908 to presentRon Coote Cup

State of Origin

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Queensland MaroonsNew South Wales BluesFirst Rivalry Era 1908 to 1979, Modern Rivalry Era 1980 to present

United Kingdom

International Rugby League

Individual

[Rugby union]

Club Rugby Union

Argentina

Costa Rica

France

Ireland

Italy

Spain

New Zealand

Poland

United Kingdom

International Rugby Union

[Sailing]

Short track speed skating

Skiing

Alpine skiing

Biathlon

Cross-country skiing

Ski jumping

Speedway">Motorcycle Speedway">Speedway

Poland

Scotland

Swimming">Swimming (sport)">Swimming

[Tennis]

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Novak Djokovic Rafael Nadal2006–Djokovic–Nadal rivalry
Roger Federer Rafael Nadal2004–Federer–Nadal rivalry
Novak Djokovic Roger Federer2006–Djokovic–Federer rivalry
Andre Agassi Pete Sampras1989–2002Agassi–Sampras rivalry
Björn Borg John McEnroe1978–1981Borg–McEnroe rivalry
Ivan Lendl John McEnroe1980–1992Lendl–McEnroe rivalry
Jimmy Connors Ivan Lendl1979–1992Connors–Lendl rivalry
Jimmy Connors John McEnroe1977–1991Connors–McEnroe rivalry
Steffi Graf// Monica Seles1989–1999Graf–Seles rivalry
Chris Evert/ Martina Navratilova1975–1988Evert–Navratilova rivalry
Margaret Court Billie Jean King1962–1973
Steffi Graf/ Martina Navratilova1985–1994Graf–Navratilova rivalry
Chris Evert Evonne Goolagong Cawley1972–1983
Serena Williams Venus Williams1998–Williams sisters rivalry
Kim Clijsters Justine Henin1998–2010Clijsters–Henin rivalry
Steffi Graf Gabriela Sabatini1985–95Graf–Sabatini rivalry
Martina Hingis Venus Williams1997–2006Hingis–V. Williams rivalry
Lindsay Davenport Venus Williams1997–2005
Steffi Graf Arantxa Sánchez Vicario1988–1996
Novak Djokovic Andy Murray2006–Djokovic–Murray rivalry
Rod Laver Ken Rosewall1968–1976
Andy Murray Rafael Nadal2007–Murray–Nadal rivalry
Roger Federer Andy Murray2005–Federer–Murray rivalry

Volleyball