Whats the biggest rivalry in sports right now? (NBA, Celtics, Lakers)

[paull805]

But is Barca v Real the biggest? I suppose it depends on what people perceive as a rivalry, I would say games like Barca v Real are huge rivalries but games like Hadjuk Split v Dinamo Zagreb, Partizan Belgrade v Red Star Belgrade, Celtic v Rangers, Millwall v West Ham and Al Ahly vs Zamalek are bigger rivalries because they can explode into trouble at any time, the Barca v Real is a big rivalry more because they are two of the most prestigious clubs ever in world football, but there isn't the same level of trouble and pure hatred as the ones I have mentioned above, but again it depends on peoples perceptions to what a rivalry means.

[paull805]

And another few that are bitter rivalries and possibly bigger than Barca and Real are Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade, Corinthians and Palmeiras (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Flamengo and Vasco da Gama (Rio, Brazil) and Gremio v Internacional (Porto Alegre, Brazil)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOTYX8-YTcE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrvweeVOl90

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAJFxOYUtTo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-nH1nKk2f4

[Spindle]

I'm going to go with India vs Pakistan in cricket. Two countries where cricket is the de facto religion while both share 60 years of hostility, have had three wars and are a global flash-point involving a nuclear missiles pointed at each other. Their recent semi-final match in the cricket world cup attracted an estimated one billion viewers. The final of the football/soccer world cup in contrast was 0.7 billion.

[paull805]

This is my final post on this, after a bit of research and a documentary I would say these are the biggest rivalries in sport in no particular order -

Football- Celtic v Rangers, Al Ahly v Zamalek, Red Star Belgrade v Partizan Belgrade, Dinamo Zagreb v Hadjuk Split, Red Star Belgrade v Dinamo Zagreb, Real Madrid v Barcelona, West Ham United v Millwall, Galatasaray v Fenerbahce, Catania v Palermo, Lazio v Roma, Spartak Moscow v CSKA Moscow, Borussia Dortmund v Schalke, Panathinaikos v Olympiakos, Boca Juniors v River Plate, Corinthians v Palmeiras, Flamengo v Vasco da Gama, Gremio v Internacional, Flamengo v. Fluminese, Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates, Egypt v Algeria, Brazil v Argentina, England v Argentina, Germany v Holland, Turkey v Greece, Germany v Poland, El Salvador v Honduras

Cricket- India v Pakistan, England v Australia

Rugby- Australia v New Zealand, South Africa v New Zealand, Leinster v Munster, Gloucester v Bath, Crusaders v Waratahs

By the way I don't know about these sports to much but what I have read etc has led me to think of these as fairly big rivalries excuse me if I get any wrong, fell free to correct me! lol.

Ice Hockey- USA v Canada, Russia v Canada, Colorado Avalanche v Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs v Montreal Canadiens, Boston v Montreal Canadiens, Detroit Red Wings v Chicago

American Football- Chicago Bears v Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers v Dallas Cowboys, Clemson v South Carolina

Baseball- New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers v San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs v Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees v Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals v Chicago Cubs, New York Mets v Philadelphia Phillies

Basketball- Boston Celtics v Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks v Miami Heat, North Carolina Tar Heels v Duke Blue Devils

[NDtrucker]

1. Boston Red Sox v NYY

2. Green Bay Packers v Chicago Bears, , Washington Redskins v Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers v Baltimore Ravens

3. Jimmie Johnson v Kurt Busch

[jmgg]

Originally Posted by NDtrucker

1. Boston Red Sox v NYY

2. Green Bay Packers v Chicago Bears, , Washington Redskins v Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers v Baltimore Ravens

3. Jimmie Johnson v Kurt Busch

1. Ditto, a no brainer, Red Sox v Yankees

2. College: Auburn v Alabama, USED to be also Nebraska v Oklahoma
Nebraska leaving for the Big Ten eliminated this one

Pros: Packers v Vikings has overtaken Packers v Bears
Redskins v Cowboys

3. It will be Danica v the Indy Racing bunch after defecting. Other than
that, who knows.

4. Basketball has Duke v North Carolina in college while
the pros don't have much that has survived the test of
time.

5. Hockey, who cares.

6. Soccer would be Pakistan v India. A nuclear war might break
out at any time. Pork sandwiches served on one concession
stand with hamburgers being served at the other. Both trying
to make the other eat one without knowing.

[CHIP72]

Djovokic/Nadal

Now tennis is a sport that many people in the entire world care about!

[Avondrood]

Originally Posted by CHIP72

Djovokic/Nadal

Now tennis is a sport that many people in the entire world care about!

Yep, I also enjoy watching tennis games a lot. But the thing is, these tennis rivalries change with the players. I mean, you once had Sampras - Agassi, Borg - McEnroe, Graf - Seles, Becker - Edberg, Clijsters - Henin, Federer - Nadal, etc...
But those are only temporarily. Club/country rivalries will last "forever".

[TheDanishGuy]

Celtic vs Rangers.

River plate vs Boca Juniors

Panathinaikos vs Olympiacos

Fenerbache vs Galatasaray

And of course the most known and the one with the best players and most attention:

El Clásico
Barcalona vs Real Madrid.


Ill take all of these as bigger rivalries than ANY american ones. The reason is that there usually is a political or demographic background to these rivalries.
Galatasaray=On the european side of Istanbul. Rich folks.
Fenebache= ON asian side. Working class club.

Same goes for river plate(rich) and boca juniors(working class).

Celtics= Irish descended scottish people. Usually catholic and separatists.
Rangers= "British" people, with protestant background. Usually unionist.



American sports just doesnt have this.

[paull805]

Birmingham and Aston Villa is another big one, up there with the biggest rivalries in the UK doesn't get mentioned as much but theres pure hatred there


Birmingham City v Aston Villa Carling Cup 1/12/2010 - YouTube


Birmingham vs Aston Villa 01/12/2010 - Trouble - YouTube


ASTON VILLA VS BLUES-POLICE ROUND-UP, BIRMINGHAM 11/11/07 - YouTube