How 'Hell is Real' has quickly become one of American soccer's best rivalries

FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew, the "Hell is Real" derby, has quickly become one of Major League Soccer’s most enticing rivalries.

Sunday’s iteration of the matchup, the second of the season, ended in a dominant 3-0 win for the team further north up Interstate 71. Columbus’ win puts Cincinnati deeper into an all-time series deficit with two wins, four draws, and six losses, including the non-MLS matchups. Since 2021, the results are a much-more even three wins to Columbus, two draws, and two Cincinnati victories.

Origins of "Hell is Real" rivalry

The Bailey, FC Cincinnati’s infamous, rowdy supporters’ section, and the Nordecke, Columbus’ fan section, play perhaps the biggest role in the "Hell is Real" derby. The hype levels the game up and the atmosphere in the stadium makes an impact, FC Cincinnati superfan Zach Blandford said at the game Sunday.

Blandford, a North College Hill native, is on the board of FC Cincinnati’s largest supports’ group, the Pride, and drums at nearly every game at TQL Stadium. One of the best aspects of this rivalry, he said, was the way it started.

FC Cincinnati faced the Crew for the first time in 2017 in the U.S. Open Cup. Cincinnati, a non-MLS team at the time, beat Columbus 1-0 at Nippert Stadium. It was a landmark victory in Cincinnati; a victory that sparked one of the initial flames of the fanbase.

It was such a cool, organic way for the rivalry to start, Blandford said.

For Columbus Crew superfan Kourtney Sullivan, who is on the board of directors for the Nordecke’s non-profit group and helps run the group’s gameday operations, much is the same.

"The Crew were the first team in MLS, the first to have a historic stadium, the first to have two stadiums and have teams playing at both of them, so, being a die-hard Crew fan; it means so much more to have bragging rights for a whole year until they play again," Sullivan said at the game Sunday.

Proximity, the heart of rivalry

The driving force for many rivalries, proximity, plays it’s part in the Cincinnati-Columbus angst.

Blandford attended Ohio State University and knows Columbus well.

"The cool thing about this rivalry, which I think is the cool thing that drives rivalry in many ways, is just proximity and overlap," Blandford said. "There are so many people that I know who are Columbus fans, and Columbus fans that know me as a Cincinnati fan. When it’s so close that you can travel, you get an atmosphere where you have enough Cincinnati fans to make an impact and be heard."

The overlap Blandford refers to comes as close to home as possible.

"When your next-door neighbor is a Crew fan, it drives something different," he said.

Sullivan hasn’t missed a rivalry match in Columbus and has made it to two in Cincinnati. Cincinnati and Columbus in their respective stadiums carve out a part of the upper deck for the opponents’ fans, giving the visitors comfortability, as well as a voice. Both Sullivan and Blandford, again, unbeknownst to the other’s comments, complimented the home atmosphere of their fiercest rival.

"Cincinnati definitely set the bar this year," Sullivan said about the first matchup of 2023. "I can give them their credit where credit is due. They brought the noise."

"People are passionate and invested and loud and cheering, you know— into it," Blandford said, "but it’s a healthy sports hostility. It builds up both fandoms to have this rivalry as a centerpiece of our time in the league. It’s good for both cities, it’s good for both teams, and I think it’s just fun."

Healthy fandom and hostility

Rivalries in sports can often times turn violent, but not in “Hell is Real.” The young rivalry primarily, or in a public space, at least, stays respectful with the intentions set on support, hype, and fandom.

"I mean, it’s a battle for one state … this game’s determining whether Ohio’s orange and blue or black and gold," Sullivan said. "When the schedule comes out everyone circles (this game) and knows that they need to get tickets, need to be in here, because we’re going to bring the atmosphere. Especially this being a record year for sell-out games, the hype is already there."

When Cincinnati visits Columbus, the stadium seems to sing its rendition of "Can’t Help Falling in Love" just a little bit louder. Exchanging "with you" in the lyrics to "with Crew" gets a little more emphasis when the visiting team wears orange and blue. "Cincinnati, here we go," reciprocates the sentiment when the game is played further south.

And as both teams progress up the league table and show even higher quality on the field, it shows in the stands.

"I think being at the top of the table drives fan support and fandom up. It’s taking what was already a really dynamic fanbase to an inferno," Blandford said.

Competitive balance, intrigue

The stakes of the game seemingly raise with every contest. As Cincinnati sits atop the MLS table and Columbus continues its red-hot climb, fans have never expected more out of the matches. Based off the game in May, Sullivan and the Nordecke knew Sunday’s match was going to be a fight, even though Cincinnati sits at the top.

Quality brings hype, hype brings fans, fans bring the heart to the atmosphere and raise the bar of what it means to be a rivalry.

There’s room for growth, too, according to both Sullivan and Blandford. The prospect of a potential MLS Playoff matchup loomed in the back of fans’ collective minds Sunday– an exciting prospect for all parties involved.

In the meantime, there’s plenty of room for some light-hearted smack-talk from the triumphant side.

“We always know Ohio’s going to be black and gold,” Sullivan said after the 3-0 win.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati, Columbus Crew rivalry is one of the best in MLS