Should rivalry games be early or later?

When it comes to any sport in general, rival games are the biggest and most intense game of a team’s season. Rival games are not just about rivals. They are about leaving it all out on the field. Whether it’s football, basketball, soccer, or any other sport, any game can cause a team’s momentum and confidence to go up or down. It is all about how to overcome that adversity as a team. It doesn’t matter when a team’s rival game is during the season because it all comes down to team preparation. It can set the tone for the season and possibly predict if they have a championship mentality. In addition, it can expose a team for who they are in terms of physicality and being mentally strong. From a fan base standpoint, it’s more likely they would want a rival game to be mid-season or towards the end, although fans are still likely to attend the game no matter what they just want to see some good competition and entertainment. Rival games can either make a team’s legacy or break it.