The biggest sports rivalries
Deep-dive guides covering ticket demand, history, best seats and matchday energy
NHL
- Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens
Original Six rivalry — the oldest in hockey.
- Boston Bruins vs Montreal Canadiens
Original Six rivalry; longest-running playoff history.
- Edmonton Oilers vs Calgary Flames
Battle of Alberta — Canada's most intense modern rivalry.
- New York Rangers vs New York Islanders
Metro-area split household NHL rivalry.
- Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals
Crosby vs Ovechkin era postseason rivalry.
NBA
- Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics
12 NBA Finals meetings. The defining rivalry of the league.
- New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets
NYC subway rivalry. MSG vs Barclays Center.
- Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Four consecutive Finals 2015-2018 — modern NBA rivalry.
- Miami Heat vs Los Angeles Lakers
Multiple Finals meetings; the LeBron eras.
- Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls
Central Division rivalry with deep playoff history.
NFL
- Green Bay Packers vs Chicago Bears
Oldest rivalry in the NFL. 200+ meetings.
- Pittsburgh Steelers vs Baltimore Ravens
AFC North bloodbath. Modern NFL's most physical rivalry.
- Dallas Cowboys vs Philadelphia Eagles
NFC East flagship. Decades of high-stakes meetings.
- San Francisco 49ers vs Seattle Seahawks
NFC West rivalry; Pete Carroll vs Jim Harbaugh era began here.
- New England Patriots vs New York Jets
AFC East rivalry born in the AFL. Brady-era one-sided.