Is Philly DC's Biggest Sports Rival City (Currently)?

[mjah]

Besides, DC is really a basketball town more than anything. We've just had ****ty teams for so long that people (especially the newer generation) don't recognize it anymore or don't understand the history. I'm not including the suburbs in this.

Wizards over the Skins in the city? NFW. That's like calling Boston a hockey-first town!

Any city that lets their basketball team get renamed "Wizards" without rioting, isn't a basketball-first town.

[MattFancy]

Wizards over the Skins in the city? NFW. That's like calling Boston a hockey-first town!

Any city that lets their basketball team get renamed "Wizards" without rioting, isn't a basketball-first town.

There is no way DC is a basketball town, since when? The Bullets/Wizards haven't won a title in 30 years and last year no one was talking about the Wizards.

[hockeysc23]

DC is a football town followed by what exciting event is coming up next. Currently that pecking order is Capitals, Strasburg, then Wiz.

Given that Wiz will probably have to go through Miami for the next 7 years to have a chance they really aren't going anywhere especially if Ernie follows the same cautious footsteps of GMGM.

[Thiebear]

Biggest Rivals so far...

Owners/Players/Managers?

Not sure where their home of record, or future lies, but currently is messing up D.C.

[dockeryfan]

It always amazes me that people do not see how big a basketball town DC is.

Behind the skins for sure, but way above Hockey and Baseball. Not even close.

[MattFancy]

From 2006-2008 the Redskins were #1 in attendance and last year they were #2.

Over the last 5 years, the Wizards highest average attendance was 12th in 2007. Last year they were 21st.

Since the Capitals have been on their winning ways, they've been as high as 11th, they were 27th in 06-07, but have been rising ever since.

The Nats have been somwhere around the 20s since they've been in Washington.

So to say that Hockey and Baseball aren't even close would be inaccurate.

[renaissance]

It always amazes me that people do not see how big a basketball town DC is.

Maybe they don't see it because it's not there? :whoknows:

[Larry Brown #43]

It has to be Philly, if we’re talking about one city’s top-to-bottom lineup of teams.

• 
  Skins/Eagles is a pretty bitter rivalry, and many Skins fans hate the Eagles nearly as much as they hate the Cowboys.

• 
  Caps fans who have been following the Caps since the 80s hate the Flyers more than they hate the Penguins. Caps/Penguins is a newfangled “rivalry,” but I’d root for the Penguins any day over the Flyers. I’ve been following the Caps since the early 80s.

• 
  Nats/Phillies is a budding rivalry that has the potential to become a big one. Nats fans generally have animosity toward the Phillies and Mets, but haven’t built a hatred yet for the Braves or Marlins. As the Nats improve, their rivalry with Philly could become a pretty good one.

• 
  Wizards really don’t have a rival of any kind right now.

As for other cities that have been mentioned? Pittsburgh? Dallas? Outside of the Penguins in hockey and Cowboys in football, we have no rivalries with those towns. The OP was talking about an across-the-board sports rivalry with a city, not just a rivalry with one team from a particular city.

The rivalry I’d give honorable mention to is DC/Baltimore. Due to proximity, and Baltimoreans’ general hatred for DC, Washingtonians, and especially the Redskins, you could make a case for DC/Baltimore. Nats fans hate the O’s for trying to keep baseball out of DC, and Ravens fans seem to feel that the Skins prevented Baltimore from getting a team for a while after the Colts left. So there’s a bit of animosity on both sides, although Washingtonians typically don’t think enough of Baltimore to hate Baltimore. It’s not on the same level as DC/Philly, but there’s a little something there.

[Sticksboi05]

From 2006-2008 the Redskins were #1 in attendance and last year they were #2.

Over the last 5 years, the Wizards highest average attendance was 12th in 2007. Last year they were 21st.

Since the Capitals have been on their winning ways, they've been as high as 11th, they were 27th in 06-07, but have been rising ever since.

The Nats have been somwhere around the 20s since they've been in Washington.

So to say that Hockey and Baseball aren't even close would be inaccurate.

Unfair comparison. The Capitals have sold out every home game since midway through the 2008-2009 season. They are only 11th because the other hockey arenas hold more than 18,277.

[ACW]

Unfair comparison. The Capitals have sold out every home game since midway through the 2008-2009 season. They are only 11th because the other hockey arenas hold more than 18,277.

:yes:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/attendance

Use percentage (though how the hell a team can have a percentage OVER 100 is beyond me).

[MattFancy]

The rivalry I’d give honorable mention to is DC/Baltimore. Due to proximity, and Baltimoreans’ general hatred for DC, Washingtonians, and especially the Redskins, you could make a case for DC/Baltimore. Nats fans hate the O’s for trying to keep baseball out of DC, and Ravens fans seem to feel that the Skins prevented Baltimore from getting a team for a while after the Colts left. So there’s a bit of animosity on both sides, although Washingtonians typically don’t think enough of Baltimore to hate Baltimore. It’s not on the same level as DC/Philly, but there’s a little something there.

I just think of those teams as brothers that argue with each other.

Its hard to consider the Ravens a rival since we only play them once every 4 years. Yeah they are close, but we don't play each other enough for their to be a true rivalry. That and since a bunch of players on both teams went to "The U", its not like the players don't like each other. Its mostly a fan driven rivalry.

Same goes for the O's and Nats. In a 162 game season, 6 games against each other every year isn't much of a rivalry either. Playing in different leagues doesn't help either. So again, its tough to consider them rivals.

[MattFancy]

Unfair comparison. The Capitals have sold out every home game since midway through the 2008-2009 season. They are only 11th because the other hockey arenas hold more than 18,277.

True, but I was just saying the Caps have been on the rise in attendance and the Wizards have been dropping/staying the same over the same time period.

[dockeryfan]

Unfair comparison. The Capitals have sold out every home game since midway through the 2008-2009 season. They are only 11th because the other hockey arenas hold more than 18,277.

The point is, the Wizards sucked last year, and they still got people there. The Caps, and I love em just like you, just don't have as many fans in general. Hockey as a whole doesn't have as many fans in general.

The Nats have fans complaining when they pull the starter and want their money back.

[renaissance]

It has to be Philly, if we’re talking about one city’s top-to-bottom lineup of teams.

• 
  Skins/Eagles is a pretty bitter rivalry, and many Skins fans hate the Eagles nearly as much as they hate the Cowboys.
  

• 
  Caps fans who have been following the Caps since the 80s hate the Flyers more than they hate the Penguins. Caps/Penguins is a newfangled “rivalry,” but I’d root for the Penguins any day over the Flyers. I’ve been following the Caps since the early 80s.
  

• 
  Nats/Phillies is a budding rivalry that has the potential to become a big one. Nats fans generally have animosity toward the Phillies and Mets, but haven’t built a hatred yet for the Braves or Marlins. As the Nats improve, their rivalry with Philly could become a pretty good one.
  

• 
  Wizards really don’t have a rival of any kind right now.
  

+DC United/Philadelphia Union

/shameless MLS plug

Really though, I'd say Philadelphia is at least one of our biggest rivalries as a whole bc of simple geography. Travel to away games is easy and we're in the same divisions or at least conferences.

[Sticksboi05]

It has to be Philly, if we’re talking about one city’s top-to-bottom lineup of teams.

• 
  Caps fans who have been following the Caps since the 80s hate the Flyers more than they hate the Penguins. Caps/Penguins is a newfangled “rivalry,” but I’d root for the Penguins any day over the Flyers. I’ve been following the Caps since the early 80s.

The Penguins aren't a "new" rival. The Capitals and Penguins have met more times in the playoffs since 1990 than any other teams including Boston and Montreal. It was always our grinders vs. their two stars and we just couldn't close out a series.

[Thanos]

DC is a Redskins town first as well as a basketball town.The DMV is literally the center of the AAU universe. The skins before I'd say 1970 were a joke. They couldn't give away tickets. Until Marshall died some f the population despised the team.

I think the Philly fanbase does not consdier the DMV their peer sports wise.Sure folks live and die for the Skins but we generally don't cross "that" line.

[Larry Brown #43]

Its hard to consider the Ravens a rival since we only play them once every 4 years. Yeah they are close, but we don't play each other enough for their to be a true rivalry. That and since a bunch of players on both teams went to "The U", its not like the players don't like each other. Its mostly a fan driven rivalry.

It's essentially a one-sided rivalry. Most Skins fans just view the Ravens as some AFC team, but Ravens fans HATE the Skins with a passion. I’ve told this story before, but when the Ravens were preparing to play the Giants in the Super Bowl, long-time Baltimore sports personality Scott Garceau was asked in an interview how excited the fans are in Baltimore about the Super Bowl. His response? “To be honest, they’re just disappointed they’re not playing the Redskins.”

I will never forget that comment. It helped me better understand how silly and irrational the Baltimore sports fan is. If the Nats played in the World Series, sure it would be fun to play against the O’s, but I’d just be delighted that the Nats were there regardless of the opponent. It wouldn’t even cross my mind that we weren’t playing the O’s.

I’ve even been yelled at by a Baltimore city cop for having a Redskins magnet on my car. I’ve never seen an on-duty cop look so pissed off at someone who wasn’t even committing a crime.

Same goes for the O's and Nats. In a 162 game season, 6 games against each other every year isn't much of a rivalry either. Playing in different leagues doesn't help either. So again, its tough to consider them rivals.

Rivals probably isn’t the right word when it comes to Nats/O’s, but I’d imagine most Nats fans would consider the O’s among their top 3, or at least top 5, most disliked baseball teams.

[Sticksboi05]

The point is, the Wizards sucked last year, and they still got people there. The Caps, and I love em just like you, just don't have as many fans in general. Hockey as a whole doesn't have as many fans in general.

The Nats have fans complaining when they pull the starter and want their money back.

Agree. I mean you have to be realistic. For one, the NBA is just a much better marketed league than the NHL. The NHL needs to get back on ESPN immediately.

And D.C. is 56% black and that is significantly lower than it has been in decades; chances are it's going to enjoy basketball more than hockey and that is not a racist statement in any way, it's just the way it is.

[Larry Brown #43]

The Penguins aren't a "new" rival. The Capitals and Penguins have met more times in the playoffs since 1990 than any other teams including Boston and Montreal. It was always our grinders vs. their two stars and we just couldn't close out a series.

Some of us consider anything post-1990 to be recent history.

[dockeryfan]

DC is a Redskins town first as well as a basketball town.

Agree 1000%.

[MattFancy]

The point is, the Wizards sucked last year, and they still got people there. The Caps, and I love em just like you, just don't have as many fans in general. Hockey as a whole doesn't have as many fans in general.

The Nats have fans complaining when they pull the starter and want their money back.

How is that true? The Wiz were 21st in attendance last season. The Raptors, Warriors, Pistons, and Clippers were all ahead of the Wizards. The Wiz average 16k last season, the Caps average 18k with 100% attendance, so like Sticks said, they sold out every game. The Wizards only sold about 80% of their tickets.

[MattFancy]

It's essentially a one-sided rivalry. Most Skins fans just view the Ravens as some AFC team, but Ravens fans HATE the Skins with a passion. I’ve told this story before, but when the Ravens were preparing to play the Giants in the Super Bowl, long-time Baltimore sports personality Scott Garceau was asked in an interview how excited the fans are in Baltimore about the Super Bowl. His response? “To be honest, they’re just disappointed they’re not playing the Redskins.”

I will never forget that comment. It helped me better understand how silly and irrational the Baltimore sports fan is. If the Nats played in the World Series, sure it would be fun to play against the O’s, but I’d just be delighted that the Nats were there regardless of the opponent. It wouldn’t even cross my mind that we weren’t playing the O’s.

I’ve even been yelled at by a Baltimore city cop for having a Redskins magnet on my car. I’ve never seen an on-duty cop look so pissed off at someone who wasn’t even committing a crime.

Rivals probably isn’t the right word when it comes to Nats/O’s, but I’d imagine most Nats fans would consider the O’s among their top 3, or at least top 5, most disliked baseball teams.

I don't disagree with most of what you said. But living near Baltimore, I sport my Skins stuff alot. Haven't really heard much from fans about it. I even went to the Skins/Ravens preseason game last year at M&T and didn't hear a peep. Maybe because it was preseason, but they were relatively quiet. As for why they have an irrational hatred of the Skins, you're guess is a good as mine. Most of my friends that are Raven fans don't seem to dislike the Skins. So I guess I need to venture to a Ravens bar one Sunday with Skins gear on and see what happens lol.

Yeah as an O's fan I don't consider the Nats rivals. I don't have a problem with the Nats and I like to see them play well. Maybe that's why its hard for me to see a rivalry there. I mean on this board there is definitely a nice little "rivalry" going on. But like I said, its mostly fan driven.

[dockeryfan]

How is that true? The Wiz were 21st in attendance last season. The Raptors, Warriors, Pistons, and Clippers were all ahead of the Wizards. The Wiz average 16k last season, the Caps average 18k with 100% attendance, so like Sticks said, they sold out every game. The Wizards only sold about 80% of their tickets.

Matt, be realistic.

The Wizards sucked. They had a total of 26 wins last year. They only had 15 wins at home, and people still went to games. They were not last in attendance, like you say they were 21st. That's amazing for a crap team IMO.

The Caps had the best season in their history (reg season).

[Sticksboi05]

Some of us consider anything post-1990 to be recent history.

Well I consider 8 playoff matchups in less than 20 years to not be a "new-fangled" rivalry. Flyers-Caps goes back further but it has mostly been confined to the regular season compared to the Penguins rivalry.

[MattFancy]

Matt, be realistic.

The Wizards sucked. They had a total of 26 wins last year. They only had 15 wins at home, and people still went to games. They were not last in attendance, like you say they were 21st. That's amazing for a crap team IMO.

The Caps had the best season in their history (reg season).

Right but the Caps sold out every game, they had 100% attendance. The Wiz only had 80%, which isn't bad for as bad as they were, but still doesn't show that DC is a basketball town. Even when the Wiz were making the playoffs consecutively, they were still pulling just around 18k, which is what the Caps have been doing recently.