MLB created “Rivalry Weekend” to boost fan excitement.

If the NFL ever did the same and fell back on tradition, the opposite might happen.  

In other words, some of the NFL’s biggest time-tested rivalries have become so lopsided that a whole generation of fans might not view the games as must-see. Players might not share the bad blood that truly fuels rivalry.

Credit to MLB for using Rivalry Weekend to generate its best weekend total and per-game average attendance prior to Memorial Day since 2012.