The 49ers–Rams rivalry began in 1950 and became one of the most intense in the National Football League in the 1970s as the two California based teams regularly competed for the NFL's NFC West Division title. The intensity of the rivalry is due to the fact that the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles have long been competitors in the economic, cultural, and political arenas. After the Rams' move to St. Louis in 1995, the rivalry had lost its geographical lore though games were still intense regardless of the standings. The cultural differences between the West Coast (where the 49ers are based) and Midwest (where the Rams were based) also added to the intensity of the rivalry, until the Rams moved back to Los Angeles in 2016. Sports Illustrated considers their rivalry the 8th best of al