The rivalry between San Francisco 49ers and the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League began in 1950. The rivalry became one of the most intense in the NFL in the 1970s as the two California based teams (the Rams then played their home games in Southern California) regularly competed for the NFL's NFC West Division title. After the Rams move to St. Louis in 1995 the rivalry lost its geographical lore, though games are still intense no matter what the standings indicate. The cultural differences between the West Coast (where the 49ers are based) and the Midwest (the home base for the Rams) also added to the intensity of the rivalry. Sports Illustrated considers their rivalry the 8th best of all time in the National Football League.