History Main / OpposingSportsTeam

* Team Hostile Takeover Bank (Chick Hicks' sponsor) from ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}''. Francesco in ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}'' as well, if only for his arrogance.

[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
* Tank, Cody's main surfing rival from ''WesternAnimation/SurfsUp'' , is a egotistical yet skilled bully who won the championship nine times. Interestingly, [[spoiler:neither wins the championship this time. This honor belongs to [[SurferDude Chicken Joe]], who didn't even know he was competing]].
* The [=MonStars=] in ''Film/SpaceJam'', who can only win by stealing the power and talent of actual professional basketball players. Even having ''UsefulNotes/MichaelJordan'' as part of the good guys' squad was just ''barely'' an equalizer.
* Team Hostile Takeover Bank (Chick Hicks' sponsor) from ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}''. Francesco in ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}'' as well, if only for his arrogance.
* Also from Pixar, [[JerkJock Roar Omega Roar]] from ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity''.
* The Shadowbolts from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsFriendshipGames'' who care so much about winning that they [[spoiler:pressure Human Twilight Sparkle into using magic to win.]]
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* ''Film/NecessaryRoughness'': The Texas Colts are portrayed not as dirty (aside from a cheap shot on [[TheChick Lucy]]) but as a team of arrogant {{Jerk Jock}}s, led by Alpha Jock "Flat Top."

See also TechnicianVersusPerformer and {{Heel}} (the ProfessionalWrestling-specific trope). JerkJock is about individual athletes who are jerks, but there is some overlap, in that they have similar attitudes of cruelty, aggression, the acceptability of [[KickTheDog kicking dogs]] and abuse of all the privileges of being a winning athlete.

The villains of any sports series or movie, the Opposing Sports Team is the number one team before the main hero's eventual victory. They seem to be made up of {{Designated Villain}}s and [[VillainyFreeVillain Villainy Free Villains]], but they are not: they got to this point not because of TeamSpirit, but because of either [[LoopholeAbuse cheating]] and/or bullying and abusive behaviour or at the best of times a [[TrainingFromHell grueling, soulless regimen]] that goes against whatever [[AnAesop the Aesop]] of the show is. They almost always wear a uniform that is mostly black. These may be to sports what the StopHavingFunGuys are to video games; the [[CombatPragmatist types who play the game solely to win, and will resort to any means to do so]].

See also TechnicianVersusPerformer. JerkJock is about individual athletes who are jerks, but there is some overlap, in that they have similar attitudes of cruelty, aggression, the acceptability of [[KickTheDog kicking dogs]] and abuse of all the privileges of being a winning athlete.

* In the hockey movie ''Film/Youngblood1986'', the Thunder City Bombers have a highly aggressive playing style. Carl Racki, who tried out for the Hamilton Mustangs and punched Dean before joining the Bombers, is particularly violent, even [[spoiler:attacking Sutton and damaging his skull so badly he needs a metal plate put in]].

* The Dragons basketball team in ''Film/TeenWolf''.

* ''Series/TheBasilBrushShow'' takes it UpToEleven with St. Nigel’s school football (soccer) team in the episode “Bend it Like Basil”. Not only are the team members inexplicably at least twice or thrice the age of Dave and his teammates, they’re criminally brutal on the field and are implied to have hospitalised and even ''killed'' several people!

* Cobra Kai (naturally) from ''Film/TheKarateKid'' are every bit the opposing team, down to the sadistic coach, imposing black uniforms, and sneering superiority. In the end they even resort to [[spoiler:"SWEEP THE LEG!"]] The continuation series ''Series/CobraKai'' sees Johnny Lawrence trying to rebuild the dojo as MyGreatestSecondChance, but against his express wishes, his students all become brutal bullies [[spoiler:culminating with his top student doing a "sweep the leg" move against his opponent and winning the local tournament ('''against''' Johnny's orders -- the kid decided to "exploit the opponent's weakness" all on his own. Johnny [[WasItReallyWorthIt was not proud of winning]]) and the Cobra Kai doing a full-blown flat-out no-holds-barred gang fight against the reborn Miyagi Dojo, with many people on both sides ending in the hospital. Johnny [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone was even less proud of this]], considering that one of the Miyagi Dojo students is ''Johnny's own (estranged) son''.]]

* A common feature of ''ComicBook/TwoThousandAD'' "future sports" series. For example, almost every team the Slayers go up against in ''The Mean Arena'' is either entirely this, or has a {{Jerkass}} star player who makes ItsPersonal part of the story. The notable exception is the [[WorthyOpponent Oxford Invaders]] who despite having had [[GameFace plastic surgery to look like alien monsters]] are sweet to children and honorable to a fault. (And enraged when the villain of the week makes it look like they're cheating.)

* ''Manga/The100GirlfriendsWhoReallyReallyReallyReallyReallyLoveYou'' has the Gorira Alliance, consisting of five {{Gonk}}s and an effeminate-looking boy who happens to be [[HotGuyUglyWife dating the leader of the alliance]].

** Subverted with Aoba Johsai and its captain Oikawa. While at first it seems like Aoba Johsai will be set-up as their arch-enemy "villainous" school, they are a great team on their own right with great teamwork and have compelling and empathetic characters. In his first appearance, team's setter and captain Oikawa belittles Hinata and Kageyama, and it is clear Kageyama - who has known him in middle school - does not like his personality. It is also later revealed that Oikawa was once about to [[spoiler:hit a 12 year old Kageyama when they were in middle school]]. He also comes of as the intimidating super-star of his team. However, it is later revealed that his teammates trust him 100%. He is very supportive of each of them and is the best at giving them the most accurate sets. His dynamic with Kageyama also gets explored and shines a sympathetic light on Oikawa. The exploration of his character, his {{Backstory}}, and his CharacterDevelopment subverts his initial "villainous"ness.

The villains of any sports series or movie, the Opposing Sports Team is the number one team before the main hero's eventual victory. They seem to be made up of {{Designated Villain}}s and [[VillainyFreeVillain Villainy Free Villains]], but they are not: they got to this point not because of TeamSpirit, but because of either [[AintNoRule cheating]] and/or bullying and abusive behaviour or at the best of times a [[TrainingFromHell grueling, soulless regimen]] that goes against whatever [[AnAesop the Aesop]] of the show is. They almost always wear a uniform that is mostly black. These may be to sports what the StopHavingFunGuys are to video games; the [[CombatPragmatist types who play the game solely to win, and will resort to any means to do so]].

* Inverted in Website/{{Cracked}}'s video "If Characters Knew They Were in a 90s Kid Movie", where the unseen RagtagBunchOfMisfits ''is'' the Opposing Sports Team to the protagonists. The coach is immediately disheartened upon seeing them take the field, knowing it's going to be an uphill fight for ''them'' since UnderdogsNeverLose.

In 1980s and 1990s vintage sports movies, this team is the posse of [[PrivilegedRival bullying, snobbish, white private school rich kids,]] while the hero's team comprises [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits ethnically diverse middle- to lower-class public schoolers]] - making it overlap with SlobsVersusSnobs. Watch for a dirty scheme to close the neighborhood rec center, and lots of [[UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents northeastern-accented]] [[TrashTalk trash-talk]].

If the competition is international, expect the Opposing Sports Team to be either [[DirtyCommies Soviet]] (Red Commies trained [[TheSpartanWay from birth in athlete factories]] and pumped on [[SuperSerum steroids]]) or [[GermanicEfficiency German]] ([[SuperSoldier hyper-efficient]], [[ArrogantKungFuGuy arrogant]], and we'll never forgive them for [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII the war]]). For bonus points, they could be [[UsefulNotes/EastGermany East German]], combining both. Nowadays the reputation of the [[TheSpartanWay from birth]] [[TrainingFromHell athlete factory]] has largely shifted towards the Chinese, as Russia [[WhyWeAreBummedCommunismFell radically downscaled old Soviet youth sports programs]], while [[ChinaTakesOverTheWorld China took this tactic and ran with it]]. In Chinese works however, there are chances that the opposing sports team will be [[JapanTakesOverTheWorld Japanese]], or even the white and rich kids aforementioned.

If the competition is international, expect the Opposing Sports Team to be either [[DirtyCommies Soviet]] (Red Commies trained [[TheSpartanWay from birth in athlete factories]] and pumped on [[SuperSerum steroids]]) or [[GermanicEfficiency German]] ([[SuperSoldier hyper-efficient]], [[ArrogantKungFuGuy arrogant]], and we'll never forgive them for [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII the war]]). For bonus points, they could be [[UsefulNotes/EastGermany East German]], combining both. Nowadays the reputation of the [[TheSpartanWay from birth]] [[TrainingFromHell athlete factory]] has largely shifted towards the Chinese, as Russia [[WhyWeAreBummedCommunismFell radically downscaled old Soviet youth sports programs]], while [[ChinaTakesOverTheWorld China took this tactic and ran with it]].

* The sailboat race in the John Cusack-Creator/DemiMoore vehicle ''Film/OneCrazySummer''.

* Subverted in Disney's ''Miracle'' about the U.S.'s shocking upset over the powerful Russian hockey team in the 1980 Olympic Games. Keeping with the more biopic-ish qualities of Disney's sports films in the 2000s, the Russians are simply presented as a powerhouse machine of a team, superior in skills and talent instead of the dirty tactics of the opposing squads of past sports films in Disney's repertoire. This is even acknowledged in-movie during Coach Brooks' halftime speech to the team at the Olympics.

* The Canadian team in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legend_No._17 Legend No.17]]. TruthInTelevision - the Canadian professionals played a much rougher style of hockey than the USSR team to begin with, but also pulled a few outright assaults that [[https://web.archive.org/web/20140201201037/http://english.portal.sport-express.ru/articles/9_68/ were considered dirty even by their standards]].

* Salamander Army of ''Literature/EndersGame'' fits the archetype in just about every way. {{Averted}} in that Ender is forced to ''join'' the Opposing Sports Team and [[FishOutOfWater try to function there]]. By the time he gets his own command and faces them in battle, [[VillainForgotToLevelGrind they're not longer a threat]]. In the game, at least.

* ''WesternAnimation/SupaStrikas'': Just about every other team the Strikas faced, always come up with some scheme to cheat or sabotage the team.

* There is a solid ton of these in ''Manga/ThePrinceOfTennis'', though most of the members of these teams are made just sympathetic enough to allow for mountains of SlashFic. Special cases are Higa (whose coach is a EvilTeacher and are portrayed almost textbook Jerkasses at first) and Rikkaidai (tennis-playing {{Knight Templar}}s... as well as a particularly strong set of TrueCompanions led by an IllBoy whom they genuinely care for).