It may not be a traditional sports holiday like Christmas, Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July, but Monday will be a mix of all three for fans.
Oct. 30, 2023, is one of the rare dates on the sports calendar that will feature professional football, baseball, basketball and hockey games. From Monday Night Football to the World Series to the NBA and NHL seasons, there is action across the board.
Just how rare is such an occasion? Here’s everything you need to know about the “sports equinox.”
What is a sports equinox?
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The sports equinox occurs when the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL all hold games on the same day.
While the celebration centers around the “Big Four” leagues, other sports can also get involved, too.
How many sports equinoxes have there been?
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Oct. 30, 2023, will be the 30th sports equinox in history.
The first one occurred on Oct. 17, 1971, with a World Series Game 7, 12 NFL games, three NBA games and six NHL games. Nine sports equinoxes occurred between 1971 and 1980, another fell on Oct. 27, 1985, and then it was 16 more years before another one happened again on Nov. 4, 2001. There has been at least one sports equinox every year since 2015, including three in 2022.
There is a small window where a sports equinox can occur. The NBA and NHL seasons traditionally begin in mid-to-late October, right as the MLB postseason is coming to a close. Because of those schedules, 26 of the 29 sports equinoxes in history have occurred between Oct. 12 and Nov. 4 in their given year.
The only sports equinoxes that fell outside of that window occurred in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of the MLB, NBA and NHL seasons and created a busy September. The year featured sports equinoxes on Sept. 10, 13 and 17 with regular season games for the NFL and MLB along with postseason matchups in the NBA and NHL.
Oct. 30 sports equinox schedule
Monday’s sports equinox will include Game 3 of the World Series, Monday Night Football, 11 NBA matchups and nine NHL tilts:
MLB
- World Series Game 3: Rangers vs. Diamondbacks, 8:03 p.m. ET
NFL
- Raiders vs. Lions, 8:15 p.m. ET
NBA
- Nets vs. Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
- Bulls vs. Pacers, 7 p.m. ET
- Celtics vs. Wizards, 7 p.m. ET
- Timberwolves vs. Hawks, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Blazers vs. Raptors, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Mavericks vs. Grizzlies, 8 p.m. ET
- Heat vs. Bucks, 8 p.m. ET
- Warriors vs. Pelicans, 8 p.m. ET
- Pistons vs. Thunder, 8 p.m. ET
- Jazz vs. Nuggets, 9 p.m. ET
- Magic vs. Lakers, 10:30 p.m. ET
NHL
- Hurricanes vs. Flyers, 7 p.m. ET
- Panthers vs. Bruins, 7 p.m. ET
- Kraken vs. Lightning, 7 p.m. ET
- Ducks vs. Penguins, 7 p.m. ET
- Red Wings vs. Islanders, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Rangers vs. Jets, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Blue Jackets vs. Stars, 8 p.m. ET
- Blackhawks vs. Coyotes, 10 p.m. ET
- Canadiens vs. Golden Knights, 10 p.m. ET
Will there be another sports equinox in 2023?
There will only be one sports equinox slated in 2023 since Oct. 30 is the only day with overlap between the World Series and the NFL.
Had the Phillies beaten the Diamondbacks in the NLCS, there could have been possible weather postponements that could have moved a World Series game to a date with NFL action. Since the Diamondbacks and AL champion Rangers both play in ballparks with roofs, the games will go on as originally scheduled.
