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[QUOTE="Scooch, post: 3211253, member: 628"]
I think there are three components to rivalries: (1) stakes, (2) familiarity, (3) proximity.  Or more plainly said, there has to be something of consequence on the line (at least more often than not), teams have to play regularly, and fans need to have contact with one another.

The latter is the least important of the three.  Fan bases interacting helps, but if stakes are always high and team play often, that's not essential.  The first two are absolutely essential, though.

This is where the Georgetown rivalry is failing, in my opinion. 
 
Stakes: There's little on the line these days, besides vague bragging rights. 
 
Familiarity: We may play them annually, or we may not.  For hoops, twice a year (with the occasional conference tourney matchup) really makes a difference. 
 
Proximity: Unless you're in D.C., this has never been a crucial part of the rivalry.  But now, G'town's long run of relative irrelevance has turned their fan base into something exceedingly small.  How often do you run into a real Hoya fan, outside the beltway? 
 
Like I said, there's a ton of history, but not much of an active rivalry these days.  If you're 45+ years of age the hate may still burn bright.  But we're onto two generations of fans that probably don't care a ton about this game, unless they have family that raised them to do so.
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