Northern California and Southern California have very little in common. Sure, they may share enviable weather, high cost of living, and miles of beautiful coastline, but an argument can be made that’s where the similarities end. There was even a legitimate proposition to split California into multiple states and cut ties forever.
From the way people think and eat, to the language that’s used, to the music that’s heard around town, LA and the Bay can often come off as polar opposites. With Silicon Valley and high-tech to the north, and entertainment and glamour to the south, the great California divide is ever present.
Everyone is aware of the rivalries that exist between sports teams that call California home. Whether it be A’s-Angels, Giants-Dodgers, Sharks-Kings, Warriors-Lakers, so on and so forth, these matchups that blaze Interstate 5 are among the best in their respective sports.
“Growing up in the Bay, the mantra has always been Beat LA,” said JT Marcinkowski, who grew up 20 miles east of Oakland in Alamo. “It’s completely natural. People from Northern California like to hate on people from Southern California and vice versa.
“The culture is different. The people are different.”
What that disdain has caused is one of the premier rivalries in all of MLS between the Quakes and LA Galaxy. The two California-Clasico rivals have combined to win seven MLS Cups and six Supporters’ Shields, resulting in fireworks (literally) whenever they take the field. More than 50,000 fans turn up to watch these two teams battle at Stanford Stadium every year, and that’s no coincidence.
The arrival of LAFC to Major League Soccer in 2017 was a peculiar one. Los Angeles, and neighboring cities, are home to two teams in every other professional sports league, but it didn’t appear people were desperate for a second MLS side since Chivas USA folded in 2014.
However, it’s evident LAFC was put together the right way. They have a downtown location for their stadium, a top-notch training center, a prominent manager and a talented roster. And as fate would have it, they entered the league with dramatic results – both good and bad – in their most influential matches. What could have been considered a curious move upon their founding in 2014 suddenly looks like a major tent pole in MLS’s continued ascension on the world’s stage.
Between their 4-3 loss to the cross-town rival Galaxy, in which Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored two goals in his debut, and their 4-3 victory over San Jose, in which they scored two goals in the dying moments, they have set up pure, authentic rivalries to build upon.
Saturday’s match, presented by Audi, is the next step in what appears to be a very bright future of passion between the two clubs.
And the NorCal-SoCal hatred won’t have to be taught.
