It may not be like a traditional sports holiday Christmas, Thanksgiving or the Fourth of July, but Thursday will be a mix of all three for fans.
Oct. 20 is one of the rare dates on the sports calendar that will feature professional football, basketball, baseball and hockey games. From Thursday Night Football to the MLB playoffs to the new seasons in the NBA and NHL, 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?
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?
Oct. 20, 2022, will be the 27th 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.
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, 24 of the 27 sports equinoxes in history have occurred between Oct. 12 and Nov. 4 in its 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 regular season games for the NFL and MLB along with postseason matchups in the NBA and NHL and is the only year with three of them.
Which games are happening on Oct. 20?
Thursday’s sports equinox will include a pivotal MLB postseason game, Thursday Night Footballtwo marquee NBA matchups and 12 NHL tilts:
MLB
NFL
- Saints vs. Cardinals, 8:15 p.m. ET
NBA
NHL
- Ducks vs. Bruins7 p.m. ET
- Predators vs. Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET
- Coyotes vs. Canadiens, 7 p.m. ET
- Sharks vs. Rangers7 p.m. ET
- Capitals vs. Senators, 7 p.m. ET
- Kings vs. Penguins, 7 p.m. ET
- Stars vs. Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. ET
- Devils vs. Islanders7:30 p.m. ET
- Canucks vs. Wild, 8 p.m. ET
- Hurricanes vs. Oilers, 9 p.m. ET
- Sabers vs. Flames, 9:30 p.m. ET
- Jets vs. Golden Knights, 10 p.m. ET
In addition to the “Big Four,” the MLS Playoffs and college football season will add to the action-packed night:
MLS
College football
- Virginia vs. Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Troy vs. South Alabama, 7:30 p.m. ET
Will there be another sports equinox in 2022?
Fans will have to wait just three more days for another sports equinox.
Both championship series in MLB will hold a contest on Sunday, Oct. 23, as the Philadelphia Phillies host the San Diego Padres in Game 5 of the NLCS and the Astros visit the Yankees for Game 4 of the ALCS. Those pivotal showdowns will be joined by 12 NFL games, seven NBA games and five NHL games.
Should the NLCS require a Game 6 or ALCS require a Game 5, 2022 will get its third sports equinox on Monday, Oct. 24.
Halloween is the final date that will bring another sports equinox in 2022. The World Series schedule is already out, and Monday, Oct. 31, is the only day that overlaps with NFL games. Sports fans will be treated to Game 4 of the 2022 World Series, Monday Night Football between the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, seven NBA games and three NHL games on Halloween this year.